MENOMONIE, Wis. – UW-Stout delivered a gritty Friday night performance at Fanetti Community Center, skating past UW-Stevens Point 2–1 in overtime to open a home-and-home WIAC series. The win gives the Blue Devils the edge in the three-game season series after Stout also claimed the opener earlier this year in Stevens Point via shootout.
After a scoreless first period filled with chances at both ends, the Blue Devils struck first midway through the second. Hayden Stocks fired a stretch pass across the neutral zone to Nicholas Stevens along the near boards, setting up a clean zone entry. Stevens carried to the top of the faceoff circle and ripped a shot high blocker side, off the post and in, giving Stout a 1–0 lead. The goal came just moments after Kullan Daikawa rang a shot off the iron that deflected wide, foreshadowing the tight margins the rest of the night.
Stevens Point answered later in the period to even the game at 1–1, and the teams settled into a tense, physical third period. With under four minutes remaining, Stevens leveled a Pointer along the boards, drawing an elbowing call that appeared to give the visitors a prime chance to steal the game late.
The Blue Devils generated the best looks while shorthanded, including back-to-back 2-on-1 rushes. First, Nicolas Pigeon carried the puck on the rush and fired low blocker side, but goaltender Alex Proctor made the save. Just 20 seconds later off a defensive-zone draw, Stocks and Daikawa broke free on another odd-man rush. Stocks pulled the defender toward him and slid the puck across, but Proctor sprawled to deny Daikawa and keep the game tied, setting up another overtime contest between these two teams.
As Arhip Sidarovich worked behind the net early in the extra frame, a Stevens Point defender was forced to haul him down, setting up a 4-on-3 power play. Stout sent out an aggressive all-forward unit of Stocks, Stevens, Daikawa, and Maksis Brimanis. Daikawa won the draw and quarterbacked the advantage, roaming above the circles before spotting Brimanis wide open at the near faceoff dot. Brimanis blasted a one-timer past the goalie at 2:47 of overtime, sealing the 2–1 sudden-death win for the Blue Devils.
Sebastian Monaco was steady between the pipes for Stout, turning aside 25 shots as the Blue Devils improved to 13-4-1 overall and 6-1-1 in WIAC play.
Up Next
The home-and-home series wraps up Saturday night as UW-Stout travels to Stevens Point for the finale of the three-game season series. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
