STEVENS POINT, Wis. — Special teams told most of the story Friday night, but it was skill and composure in the shootout that ultimately delivered UW-Stout a hard-earned WIAC road victory over UW-Stevens Point.
UW-Stout controlled long stretches at 5-on-5, and the Blue Devils struck first when Adrian Stasiniak buried a feed from Noah Tyrrell midway through the opening frame to grab a 1–0 lead.
Stevens Point responded with a pair of power-play goals in the second period to take a 2–1 advantage, but the Blue Devils' own special teams unit answered early in the third. On a power play just 2:28 into the period, Hayden Stocks hammered home the game-tying goal off assists from Nicholas Stevens and Maksis Brimanis, swinging momentum squarely back toward Stout.
Neither side found the winner through regulation or the 3-on-3 overtime, setting up a shootout to determine the extra point in the WIAC standings.
From there, the Blue Devils' skill took over. Arhip Sidarovich opened the shootout with a highlight-reel move, undressing Pointer goaltender Alex Proctor to give Stout the early edge. Sebastian Monaco shut the door on both UWSP attempts, showing patience and control in net. That set the stage for Kullen Daikawa, who slid a smooth five-hole finish past Proctor to secure the shootout win for the Blue Devils.
Stout leaves Stevens Point with two critical conference points and momentum heading into a quick turnaround at home.
By the Numbers
-
40 — Saves by Sebastian Monaco, who was outstanding all night.
-
1-for-2 — Blue Devils' power-play performance, including the third-period equalizer.
-
2-for-5 — Stevens Point power-play goals; the Pointers' only scoring came on special teams.
-
2-for-3 — Stout shooters in the shootout (Sidarovich and Daikawa with the tallies).
-
30–42 — Stout's shot deficit, overcome with structure and strong goaltending.
Up Next
The Blue Devils return home tomorrow night to host another WIAC foe, welcoming UW-Superior to the Fanetti Community Center in Menomonie. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
