Hockey Preview: Stout at Concordia Friday, host St. Olaf Saturday

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (5-5-0, 1-1-0 WIAC) will finish off their road campaign this week as they face Concordia-Moorhead (6-4, 3-1 MIAC) Friday Dec. 9 and then will return home to face St. Olaf College (3-8-1. 0-5-1 MIAC) on Saturday Dec. 10. Their final game before the Holidays will be against Northland College (4-6-1, 3-4-1 NCHA) at home on Tuesday Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. The Blue Devils will celebrate Military Appreciation Day when they play the Lumberjacks.

WEBCASTS: All UW-Stout home games are scheduled to be broadcast in a live video stream by Blue Devil Video. Live Stats will also be available for home games. 

UW-STOUT: The Blue Devils are coming off a win after dropping their WIAC opener against rival UW-Eau Claire. Senior Riley Colvard and freshman Connor Valesano continue to lead the Blue Devils scoring five goals a piece on the season. The Blue Devils also have seen action on every single line, having seven players score two goals. Freshman Tommi Algren has seen the majority of the time in goal this season, making seven starts and playing in eight games. He owns an .889 save percentage, including 168 saves, a goals against average of 3.08 and a 3-4-0 record. The Blue Devils have put their power play in gear over the last several games. After scoring three power play goals over the first six games, Stout has scored nine in the last four games, including three against both MSOE and UW-Eau Claire. Stout has 12 power play goals on 50 opportunities for percentage of 24.0 percent. The Blue Devils lead the WIAC in penalty kill percentage by almost two percent, tallying a kill percentage of. 85.2 percent, allowing nine in 61 chances. 

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUTt : The Blue Devils got a win on the road against WIAC opponent UW-Superior, 5-3. It was a loud, ruckus arena in which Mathias Ahman scored his first goal of the season after being sidelined for the beginning of the season.

UW-STOUT PREVIEW: Are the Blue Devils a veteran team or are they a young, inexperienced team? The argument can certainly be made both ways. The Blue Devils are heavy in seniors with nine on the roster, and all nine have seen a great deal of time in a UW-Stout uniform. By the same token, 12 freshmen and one junior transfer will be putting on the navy and white for the first time this season. With only one junior returner, the Blue Devils lean more towards the younger side with seven sophomores. Senior Justin Moody was second on the team last year in scoring with nine goals and a team-high 14 assists, and earned all-WIAC honorable mention honors. Sophomore Joe Anderson scored six goals and nine assists. Senior forwards Riley Colvard and Craig Lindegard were among the team leaders in assists. Colvard had 10 assists to goal along with four goals and Lindegard dished off 11 assists along with three goals. Senior Shayne McLaughlin pushed in seven goals and fellow senior Karl Andersen had five goals and five assists. Senior goalie Spencer Viele is Stout's only returning goalie. An injury early in the season slowed Viele down after an initial fiery start. Viele finished the season with a 4-3-2 overall record and an GAA of 2.56. Sophomore defenseman Joe Kleven returns after an all-WIAC honorable mention, season. Kleven was also an offensive threat with six goals and six assists. The Blue Devils will need to more offensive to move up in the WIAC. Stout last year averaged 2.7 goals per contest. The defense allowed only 3.4.

Game Stats Tracker (2016-17 Stats)

SCOUTING CONCORDIA-MOORHEAD: Dalton Millis is the leading goal scorer for the Cobbers on the season with five, he also holds the highest goal percentage for the Cobbers, with a 28.8 percent chance of scoring. Garrett Hendrickson, Zach Doerring and Jeremy Johnson are the best point getters for the Cobbers. Hendrickson holds ten (four goals, six assists), Doerring nine (four goals, five assists) and Johnson nine (one goal, eight assists). The best win on the season for the Cobber was their opener against St. Thomas in which they scored a goal and handed the Tommies a shutout.

LAST TIME OUT: The Cobbers just grabbed two back-to-back wins against MIAC opponent St. Marys. In the games, Concordia combined for eight goals, while only surrendering three. 

WHEN CONCORDIA AND STOUT LAST MET: Stout got the win last season against Concordia at home, 3-1. Joe Kleven assisted on two of the three goals, while three separate Blue Devils scored. 

THE SERIES: Stout leads the series 9-3-1.


SCOUTING ST. OLAF: St. Olaf has two players this season who have scored three points in a single game this season. Steve Sherman did it once against UW-Superior, and Drew Otto did it twice, first against Hamline and then against Lawrence University. Otto, as a matter of fact is a Menomonie native, playing in his third year for the Oles. Otto leads the team in points, with 13 (six goals, seven assists) and just behind him is Sherman with 12 points (three goals, nine assists). 

LAST TIME OUT: The Oles grabbed a win last week against the No. 6 ranked Auggies of Augsburg in a close game that ended, 2-1. Tuukka Totra scored the game winning goal in the second period. 

WHEN STOUT AND ST. OLAF LAST MET: Stout got the win road win earlier this season, winning 5-4 in overtime. Jordan Stejskal scored with 1:08 left in the overtime period to give Stout the win.

THE SERIES: Stout leads the series 19-12-0.


USCHO.com TOP 15 DIVISION III POLL: Blue Devil 2016-17 opponents ranking in the Top 15 in the latest USHCO.com Division III poll are: UW-Stevens Point, 4th; UW-Eau Claire, 7th, Augsburg (6th) and St. Thomas (15th). Hamline University (4 pts) is receiving votes. 

TEAM CAPTAIN Captains for the 2016-17 season are Derek Sand, Justin Moody and Shayne McLaughlin. Sand and Moody are captains for the second consecutive year.


AWARDS AND HONORS: 2016-17: Mathias Ahman was selected the UW-Stout/DigiCopy Athlete of the Week, Dec. 5 after notching two assists in his first game back from injury this season against UW-Eau Claire, then scored his first goal of the season the following night at UW-Superior...After dishing off three assists in the first period against Finlandia University in the season opener and adding another assist the following night, freshman defenseman Trent Olson was selected as the UW-Stout/Digi-Copy Athlete of the Week, Oct. 31.

THE COACHES: UW-Stout: Terry Watkins (238-286-35) is in his 21st season as the head coach of the Blue Devils' varsity program. Watkins spent eight years coaching the club team (104-102-16) as Stout prepared to return to varsity status in 1997. Watkins was the 2006-07 NCHA coach of the year when Stout finished in a three-way tie for first. Watkins had a Hall of Fame career at Stout as a defenseman. Stout won a WIAC title in 2010-11, and an NCHA title during the 2006-07 season. Watkins reached 700 games as the head coach of a UW-Stout hockey team (varsity and club) when the Blue Devils played UW-Stevens Point, Dec. 7, 2013. CONCORDIA-MOORHEAD: Chris Howe was hired in the spring of 2008 and became only the third Concordia men's hockey coach in the past 40 years. Howe has turned the Cobbers into a perennial conference tournament teams in his first eight seasons. He steadily improved the squad over his first two seasons and then guided the team to a breakout campaign in 2010-11. Howe helped Concordia earn their first MIAC playoff berth since 2002-03 and then proceeded to lead the team to their first-ever conference tournament championship game. ST. OLAF: Mike Eaves was named head men's hockey coach at St. Olaf on May 27, 2016.  Eaves spent the previous 14 seasons as head coach at the University of Wisconsin. He led Wisconsin to seven NCAA appearances including a national title in 2006 and a runner up finish in 2010, while compiling a 267-225-76 record in Madison. His teams won at least 20 games eight times and won back-to-back postseason league championships in 2012-13 (WCHA) and 2013-14 (Big Ten). Eaves moved on to Division I St. Cloud State in 1987 before having stops with the Philadelphia Flyers, Hershey (AHL), SM-Liiga (Finland), Shattuck-St. Mary's and the Pittsburgh Penguins before his time at Wisconsin. He was tabbed as hockey director and head coach of the US National Team from 2000-02 and to coach the US National Junior Team, which won the 2004 World title. Eaves earned his 100th career victory at Wisconsin on February 9, 2007 and his 200th win on January 6, 2012.

THE CONFERENCES: UW-Stout is a member of the five-team Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The WIAC is made up of Stout, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior and UW-River Falls.  Both Concordia and St. Olaf are members of the MIAC.

LENDING AN ASSIST: Two different Stout goalies earned assists during the 2015-16 season. Spencer Viele was awarded an assist Nov. 6 against Bethel University, then added a second assist Jan. 29 at UW-Superior and Chase Hollander earned an assist Nov. 21, 2015, against Concordia. The three helpers mark the first time two UW-Stout goalies have gotten an assist in the same year since the team returned to varsity status 20 years ago...When Spencer Viele was awarded an assist against Bethel University, Nov. 6, 2015, he was not the first Stout goalie, and won't be the last, to get an assist. Since the Blue Devil hockey program returned to varsity play during the 1996-97 season, seven goalies have earned at least one assist. Chase Hollander was awarded an assist for his pass as Danny Ray scored against UW-Superior, Jan. 17, 2015. Corey Koop did it during the 2013-14 season, Jeff Stone during the 2008-09 season, and Jake Schuman during the 2004-05 season each recorded an assist. Jeff Dotson did it in 2000-01 as a freshman, then did it again as a senior in 2003-04. Kelly Elde did it twice during the 1996-97 season.

PREVIOUS BLUE DEVIL HAT TRICKS (since 2008)
Joe Anderson vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Jan. 9, 2016
Tyler Cayemberg vs. Concordia University Wisconsin, Nov. 21, 2015
Austin Nelson vs. Aurora University, Jan. 23, 2015
Branden Gay vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 2, 2011
Branden Gay vs. St. Norbert, Feb. 12, 2011
Scott Motz vs. St. Mary's University, Jan. 13, 2009
Nick Klaren vs. Northland, Nov. 4, 2008
Scott Motz vs. Northland, Nov. 4, 2008
Derek Hanson vs. Augsburg, Oct. 31, 2008
Derek Hanson vs. Concordia, Oct. 24, 2008

The Last Time in a Single Game...
Two Stout players recorded a hat trick: Scott Motz, Nick Klaren vs. Northland College, Nov. 4, 2008
A Stout player recorded two or more power play goals: 2, Tyler Cayemberg vs. Concordia Wisconsin, Nov. 21, 2015
A Stout player recorded a shorthanded goal: Tyler Cayemberg vs. Concordia-Moorhead, Dec. 11, 2015
Stout scored two empty net goals: Jake Useldinger, Nolan Kirley vs. Saint Mary's University, Jan. 16, 2016
A Stout goalie recorded 40-45 saves: 44, Nick Schmit vs. Hamline University, Jan. 8, 2016
A Stout goalie recorded 46-50 saves: 49, Spencer Viele vs. Aurora University, Jan. 24, 2015
A Stout goalie recorded 50-55 saves: 51, Corey Koop vs. UW-Eau Claire, Feb. 20, 2014
A Stout goalie recorded 55-plus saves: 59, Corey Koop vs. UW-Stevens Point, Dec. 7, 2013
A Stout player recorded four goals: 4, Brad Weappa vs. Hamline University, Jan. 18, 2000
A Stout goalie recorded an assist: Spencer Viele vs. UW-Superior, Jan. 29, 2016
A Stout team scored 5-7 goals: 6 vs. Saint Mary's (W 6-3), Jan. 16, 2016
A Stout team scored 8-10 goals: 8 vs. Concordia Wisconsin (W 8-5), Jan. 10, 2015
A Stout team scored 10-plus goals: 11 vs. Northland College (W 11-2), Nov. 4, 2008
Stout posted a shutout: vs. Gustavus Adolphus (0-0), Nov. 7, 2015
Stout was shut out: vs. UW-Stevens Point (0-7), Feb. 3, 2016
Both teams played to a scoreless tie: vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Nov. 7, 2015

BLUE DEVIL RECORD BOOK
Individual Records
Goals by Game: 8, Glenn LaChapelle vs. UW-Stevens Point, Feb. 18, 1973
Assists by Game: 9, Chuck Gerber vs. UW-Stevens Point, Feb. 18, 1973
Points by Game: 9, Glenn LaChapelle (8/1) vs. UW-Stevens Point, Feb. 18, 1973; Chuck Gerber (0/9) vs. UW-Stevens Point, Feb. 18, 1973;
Saves by Game: 67, Tom Slupe vs. Wisconsin JV, Feb. 14, 1970
Goals by Season: 43, Glenn LaChappelle, 1972-73
Assists by Season: 28, Derek Hanson, 2008-09
Points by Season: 65, Glenn LaChapelle (43/22), 1972-73
Saves by Season: 850, Tad Larson, 1977-78
Goalie Win/Loss Record by Season: 21-5-2, Matt Koenig, 2008-09
Goals by Career: 80, Glenn LaChapelle, 1970-73
Assists by Career: 80, Derek Hanson, 2006-10; Scott Motz, 2006-10
Points by Career: 140, Derek Hanson (60/80), 2006-10
Saves by Career: 2480, Tad Larson, 1974-78
Goalie Win/Loss Record by Career: 44-16-4, Matt Koenig, 2005-09
Fastest First Period Goal: 10 seconds, Mark Ryder vs. UW-Stevens Point, Feb. 17, 1973
Fastest Second Period Goal: 6 seconds, Mike Kautz vs. UW-Stevens Point, Jan. 20, 2006
Fastest Third Period Goal: 6 seconds, Duane Johnson vs. St. Cloud State, Dec. 2, 1978
Fastest Overtime Goal: 6 seconds, Curt Moore vs. Concordia, Nov. 26, 1976

Team Records
Most Goals in a Period: 11, vs. UW-Stevens Point, Feb. 17, 1973
Most Goals in a Game: 21 vs. UW-Stevens Point, Feb. 17, 1973
Most Goals Allowed in a Game: 18, vs. Wisconsin JV, Feb. 14, 1970
Most Penalty Minutes: 21-54 vs. UW-Eau Claire, Dec. 13, 1997
Most Penalty Minutes, Both Teams: 35-96 vs. UW-Eau Claire, Dec. 13, 1997


STOUT'S RANKED HISTORY: The Blue Devils returned to the USCHO.com poll, albeit it was only one vote in the Oct. 31, 2016 poll. The last time Stout was mentioned was Jan. 18, 2016...The Blue Devils returned to the USCHO.com Division III poll, Jan. 18, 2016, after nearly a four year hiatus, receiving five votes. A tie and two straight losses the following week dropped the Blue Devils out of the poll. Stout finished the 2008-09 season as the second ranked team in the USCHO.com poll. With the exception of the Nov. 17, 2008, USCHO.com poll, Stout had been ranked in the top 15 since the Nov. 13, 2006, poll. Stout made their first appearance in the poll on Nov. 27, 2000, when they received one vote, then moved up to 10th the following week. The 2008-09 season ending poll matched Stout's previous high mark of second in the Jan. 29, 2007, poll. Stout opened the 2009-10 season ranked third, their highest-ever season-opening ranking, but fell out of the polls midway through the season and returned to the top 15, Nov. 22, 2010. Stout was in the 2011-12 USCHO.com poll early in the season, dropped out, returned again, but dropped out. Stout returned to the poll after a win over top-ranked St. Norbert, Jan. 18, 2012, garnering eight votes in the Jan. 21, 2012, poll, effectively ranking the Blue Devils 19th. Stout returned to the poll in the early part of the 2012-13 season, receiving seven votes in the Dec. 3, 2012 poll before dropping out. 

SCORELESS TIE: If fans were looking for scoring in the UW-Stout/Gustavus Adolphus College game Nov. 7, 2015, they went away disappointed. The scoreless tie with the Gusties was a first for UW-Stout, which has never had a scoreless tie in any of the program's varsity games, stretching back to 1968. Gustavus last season set an NCAA Division III record for ties with eight and one was a scoreless tie. According to Tim Danehy of collegehockeystats.net, scoreless ties are "not common obviously, but not that rare overall" across all divisions, both men and women, and appear to be on the rise. So far this year, six scoreless ties have been reported, but the Stout/Gustavus double goose eggs were the first of the season for Division III men. Last season there were 17 scoreless ties reported to collegehockeystats.net, of which six were Division III men, Danehy said. In 2013-14 there were nine total and 2012-13 had 10 total. The same night UW-Stout and Gustavus were going scoreless, the UW-Eau Claire women and St. Catherine played to a 0-0 decision.

ALL TIED UP: When the Blue Devils notched a 3-3 tie with St. Scholastica, Jan. 19, 2016, it tied a school record for most ties in a single season with four. The 2009-10 team and the 2004-05 team each finished with four ties. The Blue Devils snapped that record a week later, Jan. 28, when they forged a 2-2 tie with ninth ranked UW-Eau Claire, then finished with six in the final game of the season against UW-River Falls.

NEW NAME: The Dunn County Board in 2015 approved renaming the Dunn County Ice Arena the Fanetti Community Center in recognition of Marilyn Fanetti's contribution to fundraising efforts undertaken by the Menomonie Youth Hockey Association to remodel and add to the arena at the Dunn County Recreation Park. Fanetti donated $370,000 to the project and asked that the hockey arena and new community room be named for her family.

UP NEXT:  Stout will close out the semester Tuesday, Dec. 13 when they host Northland College. Stout resumes play Jan. 6, 2017 at Hamline University.