Hockey Preview: Blue Devils return to action this weekend

Blue Devil home games: Live Stats | Live Video | at Hamline: Live Stats | Live Video   at Gustavus Adolphus: Live Video

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (6-7-0, 1-1-0 WIAC) resume play after a holiday break when they travel to Hamline University, Friday, Jan. 6 and to Gustavus Adolphus College, Saturday, Jan. 7.

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. Blue Devil home games: Live Stats | Live Video
 

A LOOK AT UW-STOUT:

• Senior Riley Colvard leads the team in scoring with seven goals and four assists.
• Freshman Colton Brausen has seven assists and four goals, matching Colvard's point total of 11. Senior Justin Moody also has seven assists to go along with his three goals.
• Connor Valesano trails Colvard in goals with five goals. He also has eight assists.
• Sixteen different Blue Devils have scored at least one goal this year. Twenty different Blue Devils have scored at least one assist. Twenty-one Blue Devils have recorded at least one point so far this season.
• At the halfway point last year, Stout had scored 34 goals (2.8 goal/game) over 12 games through December. This season through December, Stout has played 13 games and has 40 goals (3.1 goal/game). The Blue Devils have scored 15 power play goals at this point, compared to 10 last year at this point in the season.
• Complete Blue Devil 2016-17 Statistics

BLUE DEVILS BETWEEN THE PIPES

• The Blue Devil goalies were getting roughed up a bit as the first semester of play wrapped up in December. Freshman Tommi Ahlgren and senior Spencer Viele have seen the vast majority of the time between the pipes, but junior transfer Etienne Roy made a pair of starts in December. Ahlgren is currently 3-5-0 with a GAA of 3.29 and a saves percentage of .881, seeing time in 10 games. Veiele is currently 2-1-0 with a GAA of 3.56 and a saves percentage of .857 across five appearances. Roy is 1-1-0 and has Stout's only shutout of the season, a 3-0 win over St. Olaf College. With three appearances, Roy has a GAA of 3.91 with a saves percentage of .848.

BLUE DEVIL SPECIAL TEAMS

• The Blue Devils got their power play into gear after the first six games of the season. After scoring only three power play in those first six games, Stout has since scored 12 power play goals over the last seven games. Stout scored three power play goals against MSOE and nationally ranked UW-Eau Claire. Stout has twice scored two power play goals, against UW-Superior and Northland College.

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT:

• Northland College rolled off two goals late in the second period, then added another to open the third period on their way to a 6-5 win over the Blue Devils in Menomonie, Dec. 13.
• The Blue Devils had just broken a tie when Dylan Zins scored with just less than three minutes remaining in the second period and Stout led 4-3.
• Etienne Roy took the loss, giving up all six goals before getting pulled after the final Northland goal. Roy was coming off a stellar performance the last time out, posting the Blue Devils first shutout of the season on Saturday over St. Olaf College.
• Roy gave up a pair of goals in the first period, allowing a goal by Jacob Jeske at 7:49 and a second at 8:54 by Lucas DeBenedet. The Blue Devils knotted the score before the first period horn sounded. Mathias Ahman scored on the power play at 18:29 and Joe Anderson scored 19 seconds later. The Blue Devils took a 3-2 lead four minutes into the second period when Alex Toscano scored on the power play.
• Northland tied the game at 3-3 on a goal at 15:59 by Kyle Pouncy. Zins gave the Blue Devils the lead back at 17:24 before Northland went on their three goal roll.
• Roy finished the night with 20 saves, working 40:33 minutes. Tommi Ahlgren came on to make 12 saves in the third period. The Lumberjacks' AJ Smith recorded 33 saves.
• The win was the Lumberjacks' first over Stout in four tries.
• Justin Moody recorded three assists for Stout and Colton Brausen had two assists.
• Complete Story and Statistics

Game Stats Tracker

SCOUTING HAMLINE UNIVERSITY:

• Hamline wrapped up the first semester of play with a three game losing streak, losing twice to St. Thomas, then in overtime to UW-Eau Claire. The Pipers were 6-1-2 before hitting the bump in the road. Hamline opened with a six game undefeated streak (4-0-2).
• Hamline is averaging 3.7 goals per contest and giving up 3.0.
• Hamline is 11-58 on the power play (19.0) and 9-56 on the penalty kill (83.9).
• Russ Jordan leads the team with 11 goals and nine assists. Mitch McPherson has a team-high 12 assists.
• Statistics

LAST TIME OUT

• Russ Jordan became the first MIAC men's hockey player this season to reach double figures in goals when he scored twice Friday for Hamline in a 5-4 overtime loss to Wis-Eau Claire at Oscar Johnson Arena. The junior leads the conference in goals (11) and points (20). Unfortunately, it was not enough in a wild affair that saw the Pipers rally from a two-goal deficit to force OT before falling to the No. 6 ranked Blugolds, who are now 9-1-2 overall
• Story and Statistics

WHEN STOUT AND HAMLINE LAST MET:

• UW-Stout scored three goals in the second period to take a 3-1 lead, but Hamline University scored three of their own in the third period and the two teams tied, 4-4, Jan. 8, 2016, at the Fanetti Community Center.
• Story and Stats

THE SERIES:

• Stout leads the series 15-10-1.
• Over the last five meetings, the teams are 2-2-1

SCOUTING GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE:

• It's been a rough start to the season for the Gusties, who have managed only one win so far by the midway point, that coming in the second game of the season, a 4-1 non-conference win over St. Olaf. But the Gusties have forged two ties in their last three games.
• Jake Bushey leads the team in points, with two goals and eight assists. Evan Erickson has four goals and two assists.
• The time between the pipes has been shared by Chris Amsden and Erik Johnson, with both players starting six games. Amsden has a GAA of 2.58 with a saves percentage of .911, while Johnson has a GAA of 2.87, a saves percentage of .912 and the team's lone win. Amsden has three ties.
• The Gusties have been involved in number of low scoring games. As a team, Gustavus averages 1.7 goals per contest and gives up 2.9.
• Statistics

LAST TIME OUT

• For the second time this season, the Gustavus men's hockey team skated to an overtime tie with a team ranked inside the national top-10 as the Gusties and No. 7 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Blugolds finished in a 2-2 draw Saturday night at Don Roberts Ice Rink.
• Story and Statistics

WHEN STOUT AND GUSTAVUS LAST MET:

• All of the goals of the game were scored in the third period and UW-Stout came out on top of Gustavus Adolphus College, 2-1, November 5 at the Fanetti Community Center.
• Coming off their first loss of the season the previous night, and fighting off a Gustavus team that played top-ranked and defending national champion UW-Stevens Point to a 3-3 draw, the Blue Devils kept the Gusties scoreless in the first two periods and the Blue Devils prevailed in November in Menomonie.
• Story and Stats

THE SERIES:

• Gustavus leads the series 10-9-2.
• Over the last five meetings, the teams are tied at 2-2-1
• The teams met in semi-final game of the 2009 NCAA Frozen Four, with Gustavus getting a 3-2 overtime win.

BLUE DEVILS/TOMMIES AT XCEL CENTER: UW-Stout will meet the University of St. Thomas at the Xcel Energy Center Saturday, Jan. 21 at 1:30 p.m. as part of a Hockey Day in Minnesota. The day will feature a game with the Minnesota Wild taking on the Anaheim Ducks at 8 p.m. The Blue Devils and the Tommies will get the day underway at 1:30 p.m. There is no cost for the NCAA Division III game. The Blue Devils last played at the Xcel Energy Center during the 2011-12 season in a Jan. 21, 2012 contest with St. Norbert College.Following the Stout game, Blue Devil fans and alumni will gather at McGovern's Pub to buy your own food and beverages. (225 7th St. W, St. Paul, MN 55102). The Wild and the Ducks will get underway at 8 p.m. Links to purchase the first-come, first-served tickets are listed below and above. | More information

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, 3rd; UW-Eau Claire, 4th, Augsburg, 12th, and St. Thomas, 15th. Concordia-Moorhead (5 pts) is receiving votes. | USCHO.com Division III Poll

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..
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2015-16: Junior forward Craig Lindegard was named to the D3hockey.com team of the week after scoring two goals in a mini-game win over UW-Superior, Feb. 20, to advance the Blue Devils to the semi-final round of the WIAC playoffs. While those stats will not show up in Lindegard's career stats (mini-game stats do not count), Lindegard did record two assists in a 3-2 win and added another in a 5-3 loss in the series. Lindegard was also named as the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week...Senior forward Jake Useldinger was selected as the WIAC and UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week after scoring three goals and two assists over two games against St. Thomas and Saint Mary's University, Jan. 15-16...Freshman forward Joe Anderson was selected as the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week after scoring a hat trick and an assist in a 5-3 win at Gustavus Adolphus, Jan. 9. Anderson also scored a goal the night before against Hamline University...Goalie Nick Schmit was selected the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week, Dec. 14, after recording two wins in his first collegiate starts...Forward Tyler Cayemberg was selected as the WIAC athlete of the week after scoring a hat trick against Concordia University Wisconsin, Nov. 21. Cayemberg had two power play goals and completed the hat trick with an empty net goal with three seconds remaining...Goalie Spencer Viele was selected as the WIAC athlete of the week after snagging a win over Bethel and playing to a scoreless tie with Gustavus Adolphus, Nov. 6-7. Viele posted a saves percentage of .963 over the two games.


UW-STOUT COACH TERRY WATKINS

• Terry Watkins (239-287-35) 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.

HAMLINE UNIVERSITY COACH CORY LAYLIN

• Cory Laylin in his third year as head coach of the Piper men pucksters.
• The St. Cloud, Minn. native, whose first coaching assignment was an assistant at Hamline, made a smashing return to the Pipers in 2014-15. After winning just three games the previous two seasons, Hamline finished in fifth place in conference play and then swept through the MIAC playoffs with three road victories. That earned them a second ever berth in the NCAA Division III men's hockey tournament. They finished the year with a 14-11-4 overall record.
• In 2015-16, HU again finished fifth in the league. They won a first round game at Concordia before falling to eventual conference champ Augsburg. HU ended the year with a 10-12-5 overall mark.

GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE COACH BRETT PETERSEN

• Brett Petersen enters his 17th season as the head coach of Gustavus Adolphus.
• In his 16-year tenure behind the Gustavus bench, Petersen has compiled a 212-171-45 overall record. His 212 wins at Gustavus rank second behind legendary coach Don Roberts. He has been named MIAC Coach of the Year twice, once in 2001-02 after helping the Gusties make the jump from ninth place the year before to a second place finish in the conference, and again in 2009-10 after leading the Gusties to their first MIAC title since 1993. While at Gustavus, Petersen has worked with 18 All-Conference players, three MIAC Player of the Year recipients, eight AHCA All-Americans and one National Player of the Year (David Martinson, 2010).

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.
• Hamlne University and Gustavus Adolphus College 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: Colton Brausen vs. St. Olaf College, Dec. 10, 2016 (6-on-4)
• 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. St. Olaf College (3-0), Dec. 10, 2016; 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. | USCHO.com Division III poll

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 is at St. Thomas Friday, Jan. 13 for a 7:30 p.m. contest, then return home for the first time in more than a month to host Saint Mary's University, Saturday, Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m.