UW-Stevens Point is one step closer to a return to the NCAA Division IIi Frozen Four for the first time since 2019.
In the tourney for the first time since that magical season four years ago, the Pointers are back in action Saturday against reigning champion Adrian after surviving a four-overtime battle with Augsburg last weekend.
Ahead of the national quarterfinal game this weekend, here are three things to know about UW-Stevens Point, the sixth-ranked team in the country.
Pointers never stop fighting
UW-Stevens Point trailed Augsburg 1-0 after the opening period last weekend in an opening round game at home.
The Pointers tied the score in the second period. It was a test of endurance from there. Neither team scored again in regulation, and it wasn’t until the 9:28 mark of the fourth OT when David Hill finally ended the game with a shot off a rebound that gave the Pointers a 2-1 win in the second longest D-III game ever.
The game lasted just over five hours in real time and nearly 130 minutes in hockey time, spilling into the next day in the Eastern and Central time zones.
It was a game that showed just how physically and mentally tough the Pointers can be, and they are not going to be an easy out for anyone in this tournament, including Adrian.
But that’s the kind of toughness you need to win in the postseason. UW-Stevens Point has had time to recover from last weekend’s marathon game and should be rested and ready to go.
Rolling at the right time
Go back to the start of the season. The Pointers (20-5-4) won just twice in their first six games, tying four other times and losing once.
They then closed out 2022 on a six-game winning streak.
Their current win streak stands at seven. Five times during that stretch the Pointers have scored five or more goals. Three of the wins came via shutout. Two others were by a single goal.
No matter how a team does it, getting the win is the most important thing, and the Pointers have hit their stride at the right time.
Now, it’s certainly not the streak the 2019 team had when it rattled off 23 consecutive victories on their way to the championship.
But that’s okay. Every year is different. The important thing is the Pointers have found a variety of ways to win games and seem to be clicking on both ends of the ice.
Not to mention that UW-Stevens Point has been successful on the road, going 8-4-1, though Saturday’s game will mark its first away from home since Feb. 11 when it blanked UW-Superior 4-0 in the regular-season finale.
Playing well in every aspect of they game as well as having the ability to win the road are all going to be huge for the Pointers if they are going to pull off an upset of the Bulldogs.
No shortage of firepower
As a team, the Pointers have scored 102 goals while allowing just 51. The national championship team in 2019 scored 130 goals and gave up 46.
Seven players tallied 20 or more points during the national championship season and the top goal scorer had 14 goals.
This current edition of UW-Stevens Point hockey features two players with 20-plus points – Fletcher Anderson (28) and Andrew Poulias (25) – while two others are just shy of the 20-point mark. Dawson Sciarrino and Mick Heneghan both have 19 points on the season. Nine other players have 10 or more points on the season.
Anderson is the leading goal scorer, racking up 14, while Heneghan has tallied the most assists this season, dishing out 15.
The one thing the Pointers tend to do, and it’s something that gives the goaltenders a lot of confidence, is they out-shoot the opponent. UW-Stevens Point has taken 1,100 shots (1,098) on the year and is averaging 37.9 shots per game. In the win over Augsburg last week, the Pointers took 74 shots on goal.
Adrian is a dangerous offensive team, and gets the job done on defense as well. If the Pointers are going to punch a ticket to the national semifinals, they need to out-shoot the Bulldogs and capitalize on opportunities early and often.
It’s not going to be easy, but the Pointers are certainly capable of getting the job done.
And don’t overlook the unsung hero factor here. Hill, who came through with the game winner last week, is the perfect example. The goal last week was just his sixth of the year.
