Box Score Box Score

MENOMONIE, Wis. –The fourth-ranked St. Scholastica men's hockey team will have to wait and see now when it comes to a NCAA Division III Tournament bid as the third-ranked University of Wisconsin-Stout defeated the Saints 3-2 tonight in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) Peter's Cup Semifinal game at Dunn County Ice Arena.

The Blue Devils, coming in with a 12-game unbeaten steak, struck first when Derek Hanson put in a rebound on the power-play to make the score 1-0 halfway through the opening period. CSS responded with 4:18 left in the first period when #Jordan Baird# (Jr.-Port, McNeill, B.C.) scored his fourth goal of the season to tie it at 1-1. #Matt Saler# (Sr.-Minnedosa, Man.) and #Aaron Spotts# (Jr.-Spokane, Wash.) had the assists. That would be the score at the first intermission. Stout had a 10-7 shot advantage in the first 20 minutes.

In the second period, the Blue Devils would have a goal waved off at the beginning of the period. You will remember that the Saints had a goal waved off against the Blue Devils at Mars Lakeview Arena that would have given them the lead. Other than that, the score remained 1-1 at the second intermission. Stout had the advantage in shots again in the second period at 12-7.

After a Stout boarding penalty in third period, #Chris Meagher# (Jr.-Victoria, B.C.) hit a slap shot at the point into the net to take a 2-1 lead. #Dustin DeGagne# (Jr.-Winnipeg, Man.) and #Trevor Geiger# (Sr.-Salmon Arm, B.C.) had the assists. However, just as quick as the Saints took the lead, Stout tied the contest back up with a Matt Morin goal 54 seconds later.

Later in the period, with Stout on a 4-on-3, Nick Klaren scored to put the Blue Devils up 3-2 with 6:39 left in the period. Coming into tonight Stout had eight third period comebacks on the year. With the goaltender pulled late in the game, St. Scholastica could not get a good look on net as Stout advances to the NCHA Championship game with a 3-2 victory. The Blue Devils will face the University of Wisconsin-Superior next Saturday at Wessman Arena.

The Saints out-shot the Blue Devils 10-8 in the third period, but Stout had a 30-24 advantage for the game. #Steve Bounds# (Sr.-Airdrie, Alta.), who did not allow a goal last weekend, had 27 saves in the loss for the Saints. Matt Koenig 22 saves to earn the win for the Blue Devils. CSS had seven penalties, including four in the third period. Stout had four penalties for the game.

The Saints are 20-6-2 this season and with St. Norbert College falling to Wisconsin-Superior tonight, CSS has a better chance at getting an at-large bid for the NCAA Division III Tournament. We will have to see how the conference tournaments out east play out over the next week to see if the west will get four teams into the tournament. The selection committee will get together on Sunday, March 8th to determine who makes the tournament.