MENOMONIE, Wis. — It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't clean. But in the postseason, style points don't matter.
Top-seeded UW-Stout embodied the mantra "survive and advance" Saturday night, grinding out a 1-0 victory over No. 5 UW-Stevens Point in the WIAC Semifinals at the Fanetti Community Center. With the win, the Blue Devils (20-5-1) move on to the WIAC Championship game for a chance to claim their first-ever WIAC postseason tournament title and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
After winning the outright WIAC regular season championship for the first time in program history — and earning a first-round bye — Stout looked sluggish early. Stevens Point (12-13-2) dictated much of the pace in the opening two periods, but Sebastian Monaco delivered a performance that will be remembered as one of the season's finest in net.
Monaco finished with 25 saves, turning aside all 25 shots he faced for the shutout. The Pointers tested him early and often. At 0:33 of the first period, Monaco denied Hunter Hastings from in tight. Later in the frame, he made a key glove save on Joseph Manning at 7:29 on a shot from the top of the circle and smothered a quality chance from Chris Engelbert's point-blank slap shot at 14:30 to keep the game scoreless.
One of his biggest moments came during a Stevens Point power play late in the first. With traffic in front, Monaco tracked a shot from Sean Bunting at 19:38 and held firm to preserve the 0-0 tie heading into intermission.
The second period followed a similar script. Stevens Point controlled the faceoff circle and generated steady pressure, but Monaco continued to stand tall. He stopped a point-blank opportunity from Alec Hamady at 9:37 during a power play, then answered again at 15:44 when he denied Turner Richards from close range.
Midway through the game, Stout's best chance came on the power play when Arhip Sidarovich rang a shot off the cross bar at 13:32 of the second, but the contest remained deadlocked heading into the third.
The Blue Devils finally began to find their legs in the final 20 minutes. Monaco came up large again early in the period, stopping back-to-back Stevens Point chances at 4:55 from Michael Eftimovski and Nico Chmelevski. He followed that with another key save on Chris Engelbert at 6:29 during a Pointer power play.
The Blue Devils nearly broke the tie when Nicolas Stevens nearly scored a wrap-around, but couldn't finish the play, but the effort created momentum that the Blue Devils desperately needed.
The breakthrough came at 13:29 of the third period in 4-on-4 action after matching minors were assessed at 12:00. Noah Tyrrell took the puck coast-to-coast, weaving through the neutral zone before snapping a shot high glove side past Alex Proctor for his third goal of the season. The unassisted tally stood as the game-winner and ignited the home crowd.
From there, Monaco shut the door. Stevens Point pulled its goalie at 18:08 and poured on pressure with the extra attacker and a late power play. Monaco turned away shots from Owen Dean at 18:41 and 19:32, Hunter O'Brien at 19:22, and multiple late bids from Nico Chmelevski and Ryan Hintz in the final minute. Even amid chaos in front and a flurry of attempts in the closing seconds, Monaco never blinked.
When the horn sounded, the Blue Devils had survived. It wasn't their sharpest outing — Stout managed just 11 shots on goal — but the Blue Devils found a way, leaning on elite goaltending and a moment of individual brilliance when it mattered most.
By The Numbers
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25 – Saves by Sebastian Monaco in the shutout victory.
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1 – Goal allowed by Stevens Point goaltender Alex Proctor, who made 10 saves on 11 shots.
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13:29 (3rd) – Noah Tyrrell's unassisted, game-winning goal.
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0-for-3 – Stout on the power play.
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0-for-4 – Stevens Point on the power play.
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35-20 – Faceoff advantage for Stevens Point.
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11-25 – Shots on goal, Stevens Point outshooting Stout.
Up Next
UW-Stout will host UW-River Falls in the WIAC Championship game next Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Fanetti Community Center. River Falls advanced after upsetting No. 2 UW-Eau Claire in the other semifinal.
The Blue Devils will be playing for their first WIAC postseason championship and the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
