ST. Paul, Minn.-Senior forward Jacob Barber (Dardenne Prairie, MO) scored two goals to lead the No. 1 ranked UW-Stevens Point men's hockey team to a 5-2 victory over Bethel on Saturday evening at the Bethel University Arena.

In the first period, Barber got the Pointers (3-0-1) on the scoreboard, scoring his first goal of the night off assists by Lawrence Cornellier (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem) and Kyle Sharkey (Moore, OK/Insight School of Kansas), 11:42 into the first frame.

Just under four minutes later, freshman forward Baxter Kanter (Lincoln, NE) scored his first collegiate goal to give the Pointers a 2-0 lead over Bethel (1-3-0) heading into the second period.

At the 1:25 mark of the second period, Sharkey extended the Pointers' lead off an assist by Stephan Beauvais (Shelby Township, MI). 

With under five minutes remaining in the second period, Barber netted his second goal of the evening on the power play, being set up by Sharkey and Nathan Harris (Fowlerville, MI).

Bethel's Jackson Purvis scored for the Royals with 1:55 remaining in the second period to cut the deficit to three heading into the final period.

Just 40 seconds into the third period, Harris tallied his third point of game, scoring an insurance goal off assists by Jono Davis (La Verne, CA) and Eliot Grauer (Mukilteo, WA/Kamiak), to put UWSP up 5-1.

Bethel's Jeff Flicker scored at the 14:14 into the final period, to make it a 5-2 game.


UW-Stevens Point outshot Bethel 56-22. Sophomore goaltender Jesse Gordichuk (Penticton, BC) made 20 saves earning his second victory of the season, while Jesse Garcia made 51 saves for the Royals.

The Pointers return home next weekend, taking on another set of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) opponents in Concordia-Moorhead and Saint John's on Nov. 11 and 12 at K.B. Willett Arena. Puck drop is scheduled or 7:00 p.m. for both games.