STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The top-ranked UW-Stevens Point men's hockey team (8-0-2) continued its unbeaten streak to begin the season with a 4-1 win over Utica (4-5-0) in the championship game of the 2018 Holiday Tournament sponsored by Ascension.
 
Ryan Mackellar scored his first career goal to put UWSP in front at the 5:37 mark of the first period.  Carter Roo (Champlin, Minn.) assisted on the goal.
 
Later in the first, UWSP got a power-play goal from junior Drew McLean (Waterford, Mich.) at 18:05.  Ryan Bittner (Crookston, Minn.) and Kelly O'Brien (Detroit, Mich.) provided helpers on the tally.
 
Utica broke through in the final minute of the period with a power-play goal of its own to cut the lead to 2-1.
 
Following a scoreless second period, Steven Quagliata (Bartlett, Ill.) put UWSP ahead 3-1 at 10:42 of the third.  Luke McElhenie (Sauk City, Wis.) and Colin Raver (Bartlett, Ill.) added assists.
 
In the final minute of regulation, Austin Kelly (Toledo, Ohio) put the game away with an empty-net goal for the 4-1 victory.
 
 Sophomore Connor Ryckman (Minesing, Ont.) made 19 saves in the win to improve to 8-0-1 on the year.  Utica goaltender Gianluca Baggetta stopped 23 UWSP shots.
 
The Pointers face UW-River Falls to open conference play next Friday (Nov. 30 ) at K.B. Willett.  Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and fans are encourage to bring canned food items for donation at the game.