RIVER FALLS, Wis. (Feb. 22, 2025) – The UW-Stout men's hockey team saw its season come to a close Saturday night, falling to UW-River Falls 4-0 in the first round of the WIAC Tournament at Hunt Arena. Despite dictating the pace of play and generating the majority of scoring chances, the Blue Devils were unable to break through a strong defensive effort by the Falcons, who capitalized on key moments to secure the series victory.
Game Recap
From the opening faceoff, Stout was the aggressor, using its speed and forechecking to control possession and create scoring opportunities. The Blue Devils outshot the Falcons 36-20 and won the faceoff battle 40-33, consistently applying offensive pressure. However, River Falls goaltender Brennan Boynton stood tall, turning aside every shot he faced and frustrating Stout's attack.
The Falcons took the lead late in the first period on their first true quality scoring opportunity. Owen Belisle found the back of the net at 18:44, finishing a pass from Hunter Jones to give River Falls a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
Stout came out strong to start the second period, generating multiple scoring chances, including a pair of opportunities on the power play. Noe Perez and Jacob Halvorson each had great looks, but Boynton denied them. The Blue Devils finished the night 0-for-7 on the power play, a crucial factor in the game.
River Falls extended its lead midway through the second when Dylan Smith capitalized on a power-play chance at 14:55, with assists from Reid Lune and Cole Teleki. Despite continued offensive pressure from the Blue Devils, they entered the second intermission trailing 2-0.
Needing a comeback, Stout continued to push the pace in the third period. The Blue Devils fired 10 more shots on goal, but once again, Boynton was up to the challenge. River Falls then delivered the dagger at 9:18, when Jonny Meiers finished a rebound opportunity to make it 3-0. Belisle added his second goal of the game at 13:37 on another Falcon power play, sealing the 4-0 victory for River Falls.
Stout goaltender Ryan Knight made 16 saves in the loss, battling through key moments to keep the game within reach, but the Falcons' efficiency in capitalizing on their limited opportunities proved to be the difference.
Honoring the Seniors
With the loss, UW-Stout concludes the 2024-25 season with a 12-13-2 overall record. The game also marked the final collegiate appearances for several key contributors, as seniors Noe Perez, Tyler Masternak, Jacob Halvorson, Max Techel, and Caleb Serre played their last game in a Blue Devils uniform.
