Box Score Box Score

MENOMONIE, Wis. –The St. Scholastica hockey team saw it season come to an end tonight after the University of Wisconsin-Stout scored with 37 seconds left to break a 1-1 tie in the NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Tournament Quarterfinal game at Dunn County Ice Arena.

The Saints came out and would out-shoot the Blue Devils in the first period. CSS had a couple of good looks at the net, but could not capitalize. CSS had just one penalty in the period and it was a costly one as Stout's Andy Sternberg scored on the power-play with 8:28 left in the period to give the Blue Devils 1-0. That would be the score at the first intermission. The Saints had a 14-10 shot advantage.

St. Scholastica out-shot the Blue Devils again in the second period, 11-8, but this time they would capitalize as #Matt Stengl# (Sr.-East Grand Forks, Minn.) re-directed a shot in the net with 7:26 left in the period. #Jordan Chong# (Jr.-North Vancouver, B.C.) and #Daman Milsom# (Fr.-Kelowna, B.C.) had the assists. The score would be knotted up the second intermission.

Just like the rest of the game, the Saints controlled much of the third period. CSS had chance after chance even having an open net, but the puck being blocked by Saint player. However, the Blue Devils put the pressure on at the end and after hitting the pipe on an open shot a couple of seconds earlier, the Blue Devils converted the second time around as Jack Wolgemuth was wide open on the back side and beat the goaltender over the left shoulder with 37 seconds in regulation to give Stout the 2-1 victory.

St. Scholastica out-shot the Blue Devils 34-26 in the game. Matt Koenig earned the win in net stopping 33 shots. Stout runs its unbeaten streak to 15 games and winning streak to 10 games.

“We stole one.” Stout Head Coach Terry Watkins said. “They were all over us, they got the puck deep. We were lucky, but we'll take it.”

#Steve Bounds# (Sr.-Airdrie, Alta.) had 24 saves in his last game for the Saints. However, Bounds leaves the program as the record-holder for shutouts in a season (6) and a career (8). He also holds the record for the lowest goals-against-average in a season (1.85) and career (2.33) and the highest save percentage in a season (.937) and career (.916).

Saints Head Coach Mark Wick praised his team's effort and felt for his seniors.

“It was a great hockey game,” Wick said. “Our 10 seniors put it all on the line tonight. It's not the outcome that hurt the most; it was going into the locker room and seeing 10 senior careers come to an end.”

The Saints say goodbye to 10 seniors that helped transform the St. Scholastica hockey program. When the class came in, the team was coming off a five-win season and they leave the program as the first NCAA Tournament participants.

Be sure to check csssaints.com for future CSS hockey information.