Hockey Preview: Road through the MIAC continues this week

 | Augsburg Live Stats | Augsburg Live Video  | St. John's Live Stats | St. John's Live Audio

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (0-3-1, 0-0-0 WIAC) will play their fourth and fifth schools from the MIAC when they travel to Augsburg University (4-0-0, 2-0-0 MIAC), Thursday, Nov. 14 and to St. John's University ( (1-0-2, 1-0-1 MIAC), Saturday, Nov. 16.     

BLUE DEVILS LIVE: Join the Blue Devils every second Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Stout Ale House for Blue Devil Live, a live radio show with host Pete Knutson, the voice of the Blue Devils. Throughout the show, Knutson will talk to Blue Devil coaches and student-athletes about what is coming up and what happened last week.

THE BLUE DEVILS TO OPEN THE SEASON:

• The Blue Devils have come from behind in three of four games, only to lose the first two by a single goal, but did forge a tie with St. Thomas when they came back for two goals down with less than a minute to play.
• Freshman Vladislav Sorokin opened up his collegiate career by scoring three goals on the opening weekend, scoring the Blue Devils' first goal of the season to cut Bethel's lead in half. Sorokin scored a goal in the second and then scored a goal to pull Stout to within one goal in the third period against Marian.
• Raphael Gosselin has four assists to lead Stout in total points. Adam Kresl scored two goals in Stout's tie with St. Thomas. Alex Nagel has a goal and two assists, while Connor Chambers and Alex Bowe each have two assists. Evan Butcher, Lucas Carroll and Noah Carson each have a goal. Butcher and Carson scored consecutive goals in the final 45 seconds of regulation to knot the game with the Tommies. 
• In net, the Blue Devils have been able to play all three of their goalies. Brennan Kitchen has seen action in three games and is 0-2-1, kicking out 76 shots for a saves percentage of .905.  Brady Meyers started against Marian and was saddled with the four first period goals. Evan Bisek came on the finish the game and was tagged with the eventual game winning goal. Bisek worked 39-minutes, 11-seconds and has a GAA of 1.53. 

A LOOK AT UW-STOUT:

• The Blue Devils have five juniors and five seniors. Senior returners include Hunter Anderson, a 2017-18 All-WIAC honorable mention forward, forward Adam Kresl, defensemen Trent Olson and Connor Chambers and goalie Evan Bisek. The junior class along with Carroll includes defensemen Jack Cernohous and Alex Bowe and forwards Konnar Dechaine and Evan Butcher.
• Anderson scored two goals and added 11 assists. Chambers passed off 10 assists. Olson had three goals and four assists and Bowe had three goals and three assists.  Kresl had a goal and five assists, while Cernohous had two goals and three assists. Carroll had seven goals and seven assists. 
• The Blue Devils have 10 freshmen and are joined by seven sophomores, most of whom saw a great deal of action last season. The freshman class has one goalie, two defensemen and seven forwards. 
• Sophomore Logan Nelson is the lone Blue Devils to have earned all-conference honors last season, earning an honorable mention nod. Senior Hunter Anderson was an honorable mention pick in 2017-18.
• The sophomore class, led by Nelson, is made up of forwards Raphael Gosselin, Alex Nagel and Landon Lushanko, defensemen Tomi Varjonen and Alec Skar and goalie Brady Meyers. Gosselin was among Stout's scoring leaders with five goals and nine assists. Nagel had five goals and six assists. 
• The incoming freshman class is made up of forwards Peter Verstegan, Vladislov Sorokin, Riley Jensen, Cam Olstad, Dylan Mattson, Garett Giertuga and Kobe Keller; defensemen Noah Carson and Alex Stuckert and goalie Brennan Kitchen. 
• Goalies: Bisek is a senior who has seen limited action over the past couple of years and allowed no goals over two-plus periods in Stout's opening exhibition game against St. Mary's University two weeks ago. At 6-foot-3, Meyers fills up a lot of the net area. Meyers saw action in three games last year and allowed only one goal over 112 minutes played. Freshman goalie Brennan Kitchen brings four years of juniors experience to the team.
• The Blue Devils averaged 3.0 goals per game and gave up 2.6 goals per game last season. Stout had a power play percentage of 19.1 and a penalty kill of 87.2.
• Complete Blue Devil 2018-19 Statistics

BLUE DEVIL SPECIAL TEAMS

• The Blue Devils have scored two power play goals against 14 opportunities (14.3 percent).
• The Blue Devils have allowed two power plays goal against 12 opportunities. (81.8 percent)

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT

• The Blue Devils went 0-1-1 on the weekend, coming back to tie St. Thomas, 4-4, but then couldn't pierce the net, Nov. 8, and took a 2-0 loss to Gustavus Adolphus, Nov. 9.
• With the game on the line and being down two goals with less than a minute to play, UW-Stout (0-2-1) came back in timely fashion and tied the game to force a five minute overtime with St. Thomas (1-1-1). Evan Butcher scored with 45 seconds left in regulation and freshma Noah Carson tied the game  with just 15 seconds left. In overtime, both teams left it all out on the ice. But no one would come up with the goal and the score would remain 4-4 at the end of the contest. | St. Thomas Game Story and Statistics
• Gustavus Aldophus' Justin Damon stopped 33 shots from UW-Stout and earned himself a shutout as Gustauvus Adolpus beat the Blue Devils, 2-0, Nov. 9.  | Gustavus Game Story and Statistics

SCOUTING AUGSBURG UNIVERSITY

• The Auggies are ranked fourth in the latest USHCO.com Division III poll, moving up from seventh last week. The Auggies have outscored their opponents 15-4 over the first four games. Austin Martinson has scored four goals and Gunnar Goodmanson three. Mike Redmon has chipped in a pair of goals. in the net, Jack Robbel and Daniil Gerasimov have each earned two wins apiece. Gerasimov has allowed only one goal, posting a GAA of 0.50 and a saves percentage of .979. Robbel carries a GAA of 1.50 and a saves percentage of .914. 
• Auggie Stats

AUGGIES LAST TIME OUT

• Austin Martinsen scored twice, and Jack Robbel (scored a rare goal by a goalie in the closing seconds, as the No. 7-ranked Augsburg University men's hockey team remained unbeaten with a 5-2 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play win at Hamline University on Saturday evening. Robbel, making his second collegiate start, scored an unlikely goal at the 19:30 mark of the third period. With Hamline pulling its goalie on a power play, Robbel gained the puck behind the net and wrapped a shot high around the glass, which then traveled down the ice and into the empty net to cap the scoring for the Auggies. | Game Story and Statistics
• Claiming his first collegiate multi-goal game, Gunnar Goodmanson (JR, Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo HS) scored twice as the Augsburg University men's hockey team opened Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 5-1 victory over Hamline University on Friday evening at Ed Saugestad Rink. | Game Story and Statistics

WHEN STOUT AND AUGSBURG LAST MET

• UW-Stout took #4 ranked Augsburg University into overtime, but came up short as the Blue Devils fell to the Auggies, 3-2, last season. At the 1:47 mark of the overtime period, Augsburg's Tommy Carey scored his sixth goal of the season, beating Tommi Ahlgren to seal the win. | Game Story and Statistics

 
 
SCOUTING ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY

• St. John's was picked to finish third out of nine teams, one point from second, in the 2019-20 MIAC Preseason Coaches' poll last month. 
  Four all-conference players, senior forward Brady Heppner, senior goaltender Andrew Lindgren , senior forward Kyle Wagner and junior defenseman Jake Dittel, return to lead the Johnnies.  The Johnnies went 4-1-2 over their final seven conference games to finish second in the MIAC for the second consecutive season with a 9-4-3 conference record (12-10-5 overall). SJU made its sixth trip to the MIAC Playoffs in the last eight years and fell to Augsburg in the MIAC Championship game, 2-1 in four overtimes.
• Johnnies Stats

THE JOHNNIES LAST TIME OUT

• Saint John's hockey skated to a 3-3 tie against Bethel on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Super Rink in Blaine. The Johnnies (1-0-2, 1-0-1 MIAC) earned the additional point in the conference standings when junior defenseman Travis Brown  tallied a power-play goal 12 seconds into the post-overtime frame. The goal, however, does not count in the official stats. SJU had multiple opportunities to score the game-winning goal on a power play but could not light the lamp. The visitors had 11:39 on a man advantage and totaled nine shots, one of which hit the back of the net.  A day earlier, the Johnnies defeated Bethel, 8-2. St. John's opened the season with 1-1 tie with UW-Eau Claire. 
• Game Story and Stats

WHEN STOUT AND JOHNNIES LAST MET

• UW-Stout out-shot St. John's University, but the Johnnies scored three consecutive goals in about 12 minutes of game time to run past the Blue Devils, 4-3, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center last season..  |  Game Story and Statistics

TEAM CAPTAINS: Captains for the 2019-20 season are Adam Kresl, Lucas Carroll and Connor Chambers. 


UW-STOUT COACH TERRY WATKINS

• The 2019-20 season marks Terry Watkins' (265-325-43) 24th 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 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.
• (Watkins is one victory away from moving into sole possession of second place on the conference's all-time wins list, surpassing former UW-Stevens Point head coach Joe Baldarotta's 265 victories.

AUGSBURG'S CHRIS BROWN 

• Chris Brown enters his 14th season as head coach of the Augsburg men's hockey team in 2019-20. In addition to his coaching duties, Brown serves an instructor in the health and physical education department.
• During his time at Augsburg, Brown has helped guide the Auggies to the top of the MIAC standings, including capturing the MIAC regular season Championships in 2015-16 and 2018-19, and playoff Championships in 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.
• In his collegiate coaching career, Brown has earned conference coach of the year honors four times, including being named Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year at Augsburg in 2015-16 and 2018-19. He has also been a finalist for the American Hockey Coaches Association's Division III National Coach of the Year award three times. 

ST. JOHNS' DOUG SCHUELLER

• Doug Schueller (SHOE-ler) is in his 12th season as SJU's head hockey coach in 2019-20. Schueller became the 22nd head coach in school history on May 16, 2008. The Johnnies earned their first MIAC regular-season title since 2005 (eighth overall) and later earned their sixth appearance at the NCAA Division III Tournament with the first MIAC Playoff Championship since 2003 (fifth overall) in 2012-13. SJU advanced to the MIAC Playoff Championship game once again in 2016. Prior to becoming the head coach at SJU, Schueller served as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Bowling Green State University and was responsible for the Falcons' defensemen and recruiting efforts. 

THE CONFERENCE:

• UW-Stout is a member of the six-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. Northland College joined the league this season.

LENDING AN ASSIST: Goalie Evan Bisek recorded an assist against Marian University, Nov. 2, 2019...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.

BLUE DEVIL HAT TRICKS (since 2008)
Mathias Ahman vs. St. Olaf College, Jan. 5, 2018
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...
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, Mathias Ahman vs. St. Olaf College, Jan. 5, 2018
A Stout player recorded a shorthanded goal: Trent Olson vs. St. Mary's University, Jan. 17, 2019 
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: 41, Tommi Ahlgren vs. UW-Superior, Nov. 30, 2018
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: Evan Bisek vs. Marian University, Nov. 2, 2019
A Stout team scored 5-7 goals: 7 vs. Northland College (W 7-1), Dec. 8, 2018
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. Marian University, Nov. 17, 2018 (3-0); vs. Lawrence University, Nov. 16, 2018 (4-0); vs. Trine University (3-0), Oct. 26, 2018 vs. St. Olaf College (3-0), Dec. 10, 2016; Gustavus Adolphus (0-0), Nov. 7, 2015
Stout recorded back-to-back shutouts: Nov. 16, 2018, 3-0, vs. Lawrence University, Nov. 17, 2018, 4-0, vs. Marian University
Stout was shut out: vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Nov. 9, 2019 (2-0)
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 Nov. 19, 2018 and received a single vote in the Dec. 3 rankings before dropping out...the last time the Blue Devils were mentioned was with 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

HOME ICE: 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.

LIGHTING THE LAMP: It will now be easier to see when the the Blue Devils score. The Fanetti Community Center last summer received an upgrade in their lighting. The lighting in the ice arena was recently replaced with LED lights. The replacement was helped by Xcel Energy through their incentive program, Focus on Energy. The incentives offered by Xcel Energy and Focus on Energy - including bonus incentives through the program's limited-time Community Small Business Offerings (CSBO) campaign - helped offset the cost of the Menomonie Youth Hockey Association Ice Board's investment. | Complete Story

UP NEXT: The Blue Devils return home to open the WIAC schedule when they host first-year member Northland College, Friday, Nov. 22 and long-time WIAC member UW-Eau Claire, Saturday, Nov. 23.