STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The No. 8 UW-Stevens Point men's hockey team (18-5-4) is headed to its ninth-straight WIAC Championship game after a 5-0 win over UW-Stout (17-11-1) to sweep the semifinal series.
 
After a scoreless first period, Jordan Fader (Rice Lake, Wis./) gave UWSP the lead with a power-play goal at 9:19 of the second period. Mick Heneghan (Niles, Ill./) and Fletcher Anderson (Thunder Bay, Ont./Sir William Churchill) added assists on the eventual game-winner.
 
Conor Witherspoon (Metamora, Mich./) danced through the Stout defense to push the lead to 2-0 at 14:43. Jake Theis (Chanhassen, Minn./) provided the feed that sent Witherspoon into the zone.
 
In the third period, UWSP opened it up. Andrew Poulias (Whitby, Ont./) made it 3-0 off an assist from Sam Ayd (Grant, Minn./) at 3:18.
 
Later in the third, Anderson scored for a 4-0 lead. Dawson Sciarrino (Greensburg, Pa./) provided a helper. David Hill (Glen Mills, Pa./) completed the scoring with a goal off assists from Cody Moline (North Branch, Minn./) and Harrison Stewart (Rockford, Ill./).
 
UWSP goaltender Ryan Wagner (Indianapolis, Ind./) posted a shutout with 32 saves. Stout goaltender Tyler Masternak had 31 saves.
 
The Pointers will face UW-Eau Claire in the WIAC Championship game on Saturday (March 4) at K.B. Willett Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. and the winner gets the WIAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Tickets for the WIAC Title game go on sale Monday at 8:00 a.m. at the Dreyfus University Ticket Center, online at ticket.uwsp.edu or by phone at 715-346-4100. The first 300 UWSP to show a valid ID at the box office will receive a free ticket to the game. Student tickets must be acquired in advance.