Hockey Preview: Blue Devils close out regular season by facing Superior

Blue Devil home games: Live Stats | Live Video | WIAC Weekly Notes | at Superior: Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (6-16-1, 5-8-0 WIAC) close out the regular season by hosting UW-Superior (13-7-3, 6-7-0 WIAC), Thursday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. and traveling to Superior, Saturday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.  The Thursday game is sponsored by Northtown Ford. 

BLUE DEVILS LIVE:  Join the Blue Devils every second Thursday of the 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 next broadcast is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 13th at noon.

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.

THE BLUE DEVILS SO FAR THIS SEASON:

• Raphael Gosselin, Evan Butcher and Konnar Dechaine are the Blue Devils' scoring leaders, with Butcher leading the way with 17 points on four goals and a team-best 13 assists. Gosselin and Dechaine each have three power play goals. Goesselin has six total goals and nine assists. Dechaine shares the team lead in goals with Logan Nelson. Both have eight goals. Dechaine has five assists and Nelson has three assists. Alex Nagel and Connor Chambers each have nine assists, with Nagel scoring four goals and Chambers three goals. Gosselin and Chambers have each scored at least one point in six of the last seven games. Over the past seven games, Gosselin has scored three goals and eight assists. Vladislav Sorokin started the season off hot, scoring three goals over the first games. The freshman has six goals, two on the power play for the season, and netted a goal in Stout's last game.
• Freshman goalie Brennan Kitchen had the biggest weekend of his collegiate career when the Blue Devils swept Northland College.  The Utopia, Ontario, native had a nearly Utopian two games, Kitchen recorded two wins, including his first collegiate shutout, with wins of 7-2 and 4-0 over Northland College last week. Kitchen recorded 55 saves in the 4-0 win over the Lumberjacks, Jan. 25, in Ashland. Kitchen notched 33 saves in 7-2 win, Jan. 23 in Menomonie. Over the two games, Kitchen recorded 88 total saves, allowing two goals with a saves percentage of .978 and a goals against average of 1.00, playing 120 minutes. Kitchen was named the WIAC 
• The 55 saves by Kitchen were the most saves since Corey Koop recorded more than 50 saves twice during the 2013-14 season. Koop had 51 saves against UW-Eau Claire, Feb. 20 2014, and 59 saves against UW-Stevens Point, Dec. 7, 2013. The shutout over Northland College was Stout's first since the Blue Devils blanked Marian University, 3-0, Nov. 17, 2018.  
• The Blue Devils are averaging 2.6 goals per contest and are giving up 4.0 goals. 
• In the net, Kitchen has played in 15 games and is 5-9-1 overall, with a saves percentage of .900 and a GAA of 3.37. He has played 837 minutes and has made 424 saves. Evan Bisek has played in seven games and has a saves percentage of .878 with a GAA of 3.72. Brady Meyers has played 223 minutes and has recorded 110 saves. 
• 2019-20 Statistics | 2019 WIAC Statistics | 2019 Division III Statistics

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 13 power play goals against 78 opportunities (16.7 percent).
• The Blue Devils have allowed 12 power plays goal against 72 opportunities. (83.3 percent). The Blue Devils are tied for 30th nationally in penalty kill.

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT

 

• The Blue Devils lost a pair of home games to UW-Stevens Point, 9-1 Feb. 7 and 8-3 Feb. 8.    
• UW-Stevens Point scored the first three goals of the game in a 6:31 time span to open the game, although UW-Stout did make it interesting in the second period as the Blue Devils scored three goals. The Pointers got the eventual game winner when after Stout pulled to within 3-2. The Pointers scored four goals in the third period on their way to an 8-3 win. Stout got goals from Validslav Sorokin, Raphael Gosselin and Alex Nagel in the second period. | Game Story and Statistics
• UW-Stout scored the first goal of the evening, but UW-Stevens Point scored nine unanswered goals, three in each period to down the Blue Devils 9-1 Friday at the Fanetti Community Center. Evan Butcher scored Stout's goal 3-minutes, 47-seconds into the first period. The Pointers Jordan Faber scored in the sixth minute and again in the ninth minute to take the lead. Stout's Brennan Kitchen (14) and Brady Meyers (19) combined for 33 saves. | Game Story and Statistics

Game Stats Tracker (2019-20)

UW-Stout	Statistics	UW-Superior	x	-
2.57	Goals/game	3.61	-	-
4.04	Goals Allowed	2.39	-	-
16.7 percent	Power Play %	18.2 percent	--	-
83.3 percent	Penalty Kill %	85.2 percent	-	-
1	Shutouts	2	-	-

SCOUTING UW-SUPERIOR

• The Yellowjackets offense is led by Troy York and Dylan Johnson. York and Johnson each lead the team in goals with 11 and also have 11 assists each. Chad Lopez leads the team in assists with 14 and also has seven goals on the season. Andrew Durham has 10 goals on the year, five of those coming on the power play. Durham also has six assists on the year. In net, the Yellowjackets have split time with Oscar Svensson and Myles Hektor, each playing in 12 games. Svenson is 7-2-0 on year year, has a 1.98 goal against average, and a .923 save percentage. Hektor is 5-3-3, has a 2.54 goal against average, and a .905 save percentage. The Yellowjackets are receiving votes in the USCHO.com Division III men's poll. 
• Statistics

THE YELLOWJACKETS LAST TIME OUT

• The 'Jackets split their series with UW-River Falls last weekend, winning the opener, 3-2, but getting toppled 5-1 in the second. 
• That's the sound heard from the western tip of Lake Superior Thursday night. A collective sigh of relief for a team that had been riding a wave of hard luck and hard losses. The Yellowjacket men's hockey team entered play Thursday night reeling, having dropped four straight games and going winless in six. With the pressure building, the 'Jackets came out and provided the hometown crowd with one of their guttiest efforts of the 2019-20 season. After scoring twice in the third period, the Yellowjackets employed an effective offensive attack, complemented by sound play in the defensive zone to earn a 3-2 win at Wessman Arena. |  Game One Story and Stats
• Coming off an invigorating win at home Thursday, the Yellowjacket men's hockey team hit the road Saturday to complete its weekend home-and-home series against UW-River Falls.
  The trip started on a low note, with injury and illness sweeping through the Yellowjacket dressing room. The depleted lineup took the ice looking for the sweep, but the 'Jackets were never able to find their collective footing. River Falls jumped on the Yellowjackets early and was in control throughout, on the way to a 5-1 win Saturday night at Hunt Arena. | Game Two Story and Stats

WHEN STOUT AND SUPERIOR LAST MET

• UW-Stout scored two goals in the first period, but the UW-Superior fought their way back in the second period to tie the game. Stout scored with 12 seconds left in the second period and added another goal halfway through the third period to win the game 4-2. Logan Nelson scored his second goal of the night late in the second period, a power play goal that proved to be the game winner. Freshman Peter Verstegen gave Stout a two-goal lead with about seven minutes left in the game. | Game Story and Statistics

USCHO.com TOP 15 DIVISION III POLL: The Blue Devils received votes in the 2018-19 USCHO.com poll starting Nov. 18, but dropped out in mid-December. They returned to the "Receiving Votes" category with 10 in the Jan. 7 poll, but dropped out after back-to-back losses to UW-Eau Claire and UW-Superior and have not returned. Blue Devil 2018-19 opponents ranking in the Top 15 in the Dec. 10 USHCO.com Division III poll are: UW-Stevens Point, 1st (Feb. 1, Feb. 8); UW-Eau Claire, 6th (Nov. 28, Jan. 23) and Augsburg University, 7th. (Jan. 12). St. Thomas (Dec. 6) and Concordia-Moorhead (Nov. 9, Nov. 10) are receiving votes. USCHO.com Division III Poll

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

2019-20 ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Brennan Kitchen, Fr, Utopia, Ontario (Athens District);  Konnar Dechaine, Jr, Lac La Biche, Alberta (JA Williams); Logan Nelson, So, St. Michael, Minn. (St. Michael-Albertville)

HONORS AND AWARDS

• .2019-20: Brennan Kitchen was selected as the WIAC hockey athlete of the week after stopping 55 shots in a 4-0 shutout over Northland College, Jan. 25. On the weekend, Kitchen had 88 total saves...After scoring three goals and an assist over the weekend against Bethel University and Hamline University, Konnar Dechaine was selected as the UW-Stout athlete of the week, Jan. 13…After scoring two goals each night in a loss to UW-Stevens Point and a win over UW-Superior, Logan Nelson was selected as the WIAC Athlete of the Week.

UW-STOUT COACH TERRY WATKINS

• The 2019-20 season marks Terry Watkins' (271-338-43) 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 is second on the WIAC all-time wins list.
• 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 recently moved 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.

UW-SUPERIOR'S RICH MCKENNA

• The 2019-20 season is the fourth for Rich McKenna (40-55-11) as head coach of the UW-Superior men's hockey program. McKenna was named to the position May 11, 2016, becoming just the sixth head coach to lead the Yellowjackets since the program was reinstated in 1965. In McKenna's first three seasons, he had five players earn All-WIAC honors and helped both Eric Shand and Anton Svensson earn professional contracts. McKenna came to the Yellowjackets following a season as the head coach and general manager of the New Jersey Titans of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). He led the Titans to a record of 34-22-4 and a second-place finish in the NAHL's East Division in 2015-16. McKenna began his coaching career as an assistant coach at NCAA Division III Castleton State in Vermont in 2008-09 where he helped the Spartans to a 15-win season and a berth in the ECAC East playoffs. From there, McKenna spent two seasons (2009-11) as an assistant coach at Division III Wesleyan (Middletown, Conn.) before moving to the Division I ranks at UConn. While there, McKenna helped guide the Huskies to the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals in 2011-12 and then the semifinals in 2012-13.
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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, 2008THE 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: 55, Brennan Kitchen vs. Northland College, Jan. 25, 2020; 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. Northland College, Jan. 25, 2020 (4-0); 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. St. John's University (5-0), Nov. 16. 2019
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

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.

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 will find out their future for the WIAC Championship tournament after the regular season games this week. The tournament begins Friday, Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 22. The No. 3 and No. 4 seeded teams will host the No. 6 and No. 5 seeded teams, respectively.