STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The No. 9 UW-Stevens Point men's hockey team (19-6-2) got four third-period goals for a 5-1 win over UW-Eau Claire (13-15-1) to force a decisive mini-game in the WIAC Tournament semifinals (presented by Culver's).
 
The Blugolds took a 1-0 lead at 16:34 of the first period on a power-play goal.
 
The Pointers pulled even at 10:51 of the second period. Chris Englebert scored the equalizer on a feed from Dawson Sciarrino (Greensburg, Pa.).
 
At the 9:34 mark of the third, Fletcher Anderson (Thunder Bay, Ont.) picked the pocket of a defenseman and skated in alone for the unassisted goal, the eventual game-winner.
 
Matthew Falls (Toronto,Ont.) extended the lead to 3-1 with Sean Bunting (Phoenix, Ariz.) getting an assist. Nico Chmelevski (Northville, Mich.) scored 41 seconds later to push the lead to 4-1 at 12:35 of the third. Anderson and Andrew Poulias (Whitby, Ont.) got assists.
 
Anderson scored at 14:40 of the third on assists from Poulias and Chmelevski.
 
UWSP goaltender Alex Proctor (Allen, Texas) had 23 saves to earn the win. UWEC goaltender Max Gutjahr made 38 saves.
 
The mini-game turned into a scoreless marathon with neither team scoring in the original mini-game, the first overtime or the second overtime. At 11:51 of the third overtime, the Blugolds were awarded a penalty shot and Kyle Oleksiuk converted to send UWEC to the title game.
 
The WIAC Commissioner's Cup will be played without the Pointers for the first time since the 2013-14 season.