Hockey Preview: Stout to open on road at Trine, Aurora this weekend

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (0-0-0, 0-0-0 WIAC) will get the season underway when they make a trip to Indiana and Illinois this weekend. Stout will be Trine University's (0-0-0, 0-0-0 NCHA) first-ever varsity men's hockey foe when the Blue Devils travel to Angola, Ind., for a Friday, Oct. 27, 6 p.m. contest. Stout will be at Aurora University (0-0-0, 0-0-0 NCHA) Saturday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. 

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.
 

A LOOK AT UW-STOUT:

• The Blue Devils return two seniors, defenseman and team captain Jordan Stejskal and goalie Etienne Roy, who transferred to Stout last season. Stout has five juniors, but 12 sophomores and nine freshmen. Twelve on the roster are first year players for the Blue Devils.
• Conner Valesano is the team's leading returning scoring player, popping seven goals and added six assists. Adam Kresl, an assistant captain, chipped in five goals and eight assists. Jack Forbort had four goals and eight assists and Alex Toscano six goals and four assists.
• Defenseman Joe Kleven returns as a two-time All-WIAC honorable mention selection.  Kleven led all Stout defensemen in scoring, finding the back of the net three times and dishing off 10 assists.
• Mathias Ahman received honorable mention honors last season. Ahman is an assistant captain this year. 
• The 2016-17 Blue Devils averaged 2.8 goals per contest, and gave up 3.4.  Stout finished the 2016-17 season at 12-13-2, 3-5-0 in the WIAC, good for fourth. Stout hosted UW-Superior in a first round WIAC playoff series. The two teams split the series, but Superior won tie-breaking mini-game.
• Sixteen different Blue Devils scored at least one goal last season. Twenty different Blue Devils scored at least one assist. Twenty-one Blue Devils recorded at least one point so far this season.

BLUE DEVILS BETWEEN THE PIPES

• Tommi Ahlgren figured into 12 decisions last season, finishing with a save percentage of .901 and a team-best 3.04 goals against average (GAA), fourth-best in the WIAC.
• With three appearances, Etienne Roy finished with a GAA of 3.91 with a saves percentage of .848.
• First year player Evan Hauser was a member of the University of Alaska-Anchorage team last season. 

BLUE DEVIL SPECIAL TEAMS

• The Blue Devils power play last season was  21.3 percent (23-106) and the penalty kill finished at 85.1 percent (17-126). Stout  averaged 5.7 penalties per game.

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT

• UW-Stout's season came to a crashing halt as UW-Superior took a 4-2 win to force a 20-minute mini-game and the Yellowjackets turned that into an overtime 1-0 win Feb. 18 at the Fanetti Community Center.

Game Stats Tracker (2016-17 stats)

SCOUTING TRINE UNIVERSITY

• This is Trine's first year of competition as a varsity program. The university also has ACHA D2 and ACHA D3 teams.
• The men's and women's teams are both in their first year of varsity competition. The NCAA men's hockey team will open competition with a home game on Friday, Oct. 27 at 7:00 p.m. when they face off against University of Wisconsin-Stout. On Saturday, Oct. 28 at 4:00 p.m. the men will take on the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, who finished last season as a NCAA national quarterfinalist.
• The NCAA women's hockey team also opens their season at home with a pair of games against conference opponent Finlandia (Mich.) University. The games are scheduled for Friday, Nov. 3 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 4 at 2:00 p.m.
• Both the men's and women's NCAA hockey teams will compete in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA).
• The first-year program was picked to finish in a tie for 11th with Finlandia University in the NCHA preseason poll

THE SERIES:

• This is the first meeting between the two programs.

SCOUTING AURORA UNIVERSITY

• The Spartans open their season by hosting UW-Stevens Point- Friday, Oct. 27, then will host UW-Stout the following evening at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, Ill.
• Aurora begins their fourth year as a varsity program.
• The Spartans were picked to finish ninth in the NCHA in a preseason poll.
• Aurora University men's hockey student-athletes Rihards Marenis and Rudolfs Kalvitis were selected to play for their native Latvia in late August as part of the Baltic Crowns Cup Challenge. Latvia led by Marenis and Kalvitis took on the Lithuanian National Team, a Swedish club Hammarby-IS, and Estonian National Team in Estonia. Latvia won the tournament with both Spartans each scoring two goals with Kalvitis adding one assist and Marenis picking up four assists in the three games.

LAST TIME OUT

• The Spartans finished the 2016-17 season at 4-19-2 under first-year coach Jason Bloomingburg. The Spartans ended the season by tying Marian University, 4-4, Feb. 17 at home, but then lost 5-0 the next night to the Sabres in Fond du Lac.

THE SERIES:

• Stout has won both of the previous meetings, both of those coming in Aurora's inaugural season in 2014-15 in Menomonie. Stout won 7-2, Jan. 23, 2015, and 5-1, Jan. 24, 2015.

USCHO.com TOP 15 DIVISION III POLL: Blue Devil 2017-18 opponents ranking in the Top 15 in the latest USHCO.com Division III poll are: UW-Stevens Point, 5th; UW-Eau Claire, 11th and Augsburg, 13th. UW-Superior, UW-River Falls and MSOE are receiving votes.

TEAM CAPTAIN: Captains for the 2017-18 season are Jordan Stejskal, Adam Kresl and Mathias Ahman.


AWARDS AND HONORS: 2016-17:

• Joe Kleven was selected the WIAC Athlete of the Week and the UW-Stout/DigiCopy Athlete of the week, Feb. 13, after scoring a goal and three assists in a 4-3 win over UW-River Falls.
• Riley Colvard was selected the UW-Stout/DigiCopy Athlete of the Week, Jan. 30, after scoring the game-winning goal and an assist in a 2-1 win over UW-Eau Claire.
• Alex Toscano was selected the UW-Stout/DigiCopy Athlete of the Week, Jan. 16, after scoring two goals in the third period against Saint Mary's University
• 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..

UW-STOUT COACH TERRY WATKINS

• The 2017-18 season will mark Terry Watkins' (245-294-37) 22nd 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. Watkins played in UW-Stout's first-ever game, but he was a member of the Blue Devils' opponents, St. Paul Groveland, Jan. 19, 1969. St. Paul beat the Blue Devils, 8-4. Watkins enrolled at the Stout the following school year and joined the hockey team.
• 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.

TRINE UNIVERSITY HEAD COACH ALEX TODD

• Alex Todd (114-78-16) is the Thunders' first varsity head coach. Todd comes to Trine from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where he served as assistant hockey coach for the men's NCAA Division I hockey team. He also previously served as head coach at Castleton State College from 2005-13 in Castleton, Vt., and assistant coach at Utica College in Utica, N.Y. He also played professional hockey in the West Coast Hockey League and Central Hockey League. He was named Coach of the Year at Castleton State in 2007 and was Eastern College Athletic Conference East Coach of the Year in 2011. Todd took over a Castleton team that did not win a game the before he arrived and in his second season posted 17 wins. He also was named Rookie of the Year for the Fresno Falcons in 2002.

AURORA UNIVERSITY HEAD COACH JASON BLOOMINGBURG

• Jason Bloomingburg (4-19-2) is in his second season as the head coach at Aurora University.  Bloomingburg came to AU after spending the previous four seasons as the head coach of the Florida Eels of the USPHL. In four seasons he amassed a 124-48-6 record, led the team to a pair of division titles and was the 2012-13 USPHL Coach of the Year. He was a nominee for the same award for the 2015-2016 season. Prior to becoming the head coach in Florida, Bloomingburg spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Texas Tornado NAHL organization. Bloomingburg has an extensive playing career which began with the Tornado hockey club where he was a captain, team MVP, NAHL MVP and First-Team All-League in 2001-2002.

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 Trine and Aurora are members of the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA).

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: 45, Tommi Ahlgren vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Jan. 7, 2017
• 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. St. Mary's (W 6-5), Jan. 14, 2017
• 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. 

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.

UP NEXT: The Blue Devils open the home portion of their schedule when they host Concordia-Moorhead, Friday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. and St. John's University, Saturday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m.