Wisconsin-Stevens Point is still perfect and now two wins away from a national championship. The top-ranked Pointers sent reigning national champion St. Norbert home with a 3-0 win Saturday night at K.B. Willett Arena, remaining unbeaten at 27-0-2 on the season. The unbeaten streak of 29 games is the longest in school history.
Standout sophomore Connor Ryckman played an instrumental role in the dominant quarterfinal win, stopping 17 shots. The WIAC Player of the Year has now won 24 games, the most in a season in school history. The shutout was his third of the season.
St. Norbert ends its season at 23-5-3. The third-ranked Green Knights came in riding a 14-game win streak.
Kelly O’Brien got the Pointers rolling late in the first period, scoring off a backhander to give Wis.-Stevens Point a 1-0 lead. Carter Roo and Chris Allemon both tallied assists on the goal.
The Pointers pushed their lead to 2-0 in the second on a goal by Tanner Karty. Karty punched the puck into an empty net off a pass from Zach Zeth. O’Brien assisted on the play as well.
The scoring was capped later in the period off a power play. T.J. Roo came around from behind the goal and scored off the rebound of his own shot. Carter Roo and Drew McLean earned credit for assists on the play.
T.J. Black of St. Norbert finished with 32 saves.
The Pointers now host Hobart at home in the Frozen Four on Friday night. SUNY Geneseo and Norwich will meet in the other semifinal. The Pointers will be seeking their first title since 2016 and fourth overall in program history.
