Adrian powers past UW-Stevens Point in national quarterfinal

STEVENS POINT - The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point men’s hockey team had the advantage in total shots, shots on net and faceoff won Saturday night.

But there was one notable statistical category that went against the Pointers — the penalty kill, and it helped end their hopes for a fourth straight trip to the NCAA Division III Frozen Four.

Adrian scored four power play on the way to a 6-3 win over UW-Stevens Point in a national quarterfinal matchup at K.B. Willett Arena.

“They executed and that was the difference in the game,” UWSP coach Chris Brooks said. “They’re dangerous. Like I said before (the game) I’m not ashamed to say they are a more skilled team than us. We have beat a lot of teams that are more skilled than us, but their power play was excellent and they capitalized on their opportunities.”

Trevor Boyd had two goals and an assist and his unassisted score at the 6 minute, 18 second mark of the third period broke a 3-3 tie and gave the Bulldogs the lead for good over the defending national champions.

Boyd’s goal was the only 5-on-5 goal for the Bulldogs. The other non power-play goal was an empty-net tally by Austin Hervey with less than two minutes left in regulation. Hervey rattled a shot of the boards deep in the Adrian zone and it caromed down the ice into the open Pointers net.

Kevin Entmaa finished with 35 saves for the Bulldogs (20-6-2) who advanced to a national quarterfinal game next week in Utica, N.Y.

Max Milosek finished with 19 saves for the Pointers.

Two of the Bulldogs power play goals came on 5-on-3 opportunities, including Cory Dunn’s at the 9:50 mark of the third period.

“Coach always stresses to funnel pucks to the net on the power play and just get them there,” Boyd said. “We basically have three power-play units and it was nice to click for once and get them going.”

The Pointers (21-5-3) had a 42-27 advantage on shots son net and had a 51-31 cushion in faceoffs won, but never led. UWSP tied Adrian twice, including after a two-goal flurry late in the second period to tie the score 3-3 going into the third.

“We built momentum there,” Brooks said. “I felt great they way we finished the second period.”

The Pointers went 1-for-7 on the power play and the lone goal came with one second left on their fourth attempt of the game to bring the Pointers to within 3-2 . Tanner Karty scored the goal as the Pointers crashed the net. The sophomore, who also had an assist, emerged from the bottom of a post-goal scrum without a helmet and both arms aloft as he skated to the side boards to celebrate in front of the Pointers fans.

The goal was briefly discussed by the referees before being called good as there was some question if the net came loose before the shot — one of two scores to be reviewed in the game on the same call.

Adrian had an apparent goal waved off with 2:23 left in the first period as it was ruled the net came loose before the shot.

Senior forward Kyle Sharkey continued the Pointers momentum as he tied the game 3-3 with 20 seconds left in the second period.

The game swung back toward Adrian roughly six and half minutes into the third on Boyd's second goal of the game as he pivoted beat Milosek with a low shot from the right side of the net to break the tie.

"I had two of my linemates, Austin Hervey and Vinny Post, going to the net and they were calling for (the puck)," Boyd said. "I wanted to give it to them on my backhand but didn't see a lane. I just curled around and kind of lost (the puck) again, threw it toward the net and found a hole to go back ahead."

Adrian scored two power-play goals in the first period sandwiched around a goal by the Pointers Logan Fredericks. Mathew Thompson gave the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead with 19 seconds left in the first off a 5-on-3 power play opportunity.

The Bulldogs extended their lead to 3-1 on Dean Balsamo’s power play goal six and h alf minutes into the second period, but the Pointers had 36 shots on net over the final two periods.

“We had that stint on the power play in the second where right before we scored I think we had six shots (on net) in a minute,” Sharkey said. “It was quality chances and we hit a couple posts there. These type of games any little bounce can pretty much turn the tide. I thought we did a pretty good job of taking control of momentum in the second period but they converted on their power plays.”

Tim Johnson: 715-845-0731, or twjohnson@gannett.com; on Twitter @timmyjo11

First period: 1. A, Trevor Boyd (Connor Armour), 6:44 (pp). 2. UWSP, Logan Fredericks (Tanner Karty, Willem Nong-Lambert), 7:39. 3. A, Mathew Thompson ( Kyle Brothers, Taylor McCloy), 19:41 (pp).

Second period: 4. UWSP, Dean Balsamo (Armour, Boyd), 6:28 (pp). . 5. UWSP, Tanner Karty (Non Lambert, Jono Davis), 14:58 (pp). 6. UWSP, Kyle Sharkey (Lawrence Cornellier, Jacob Barber), 19:40.

Third period: 7. A, Boyd, 6:18. 8. Cory Dunn (Brothers), 9:50 (pp); 9. A, Austin Hervey, 18:13 (en)

Saves: A, Kevin Entmann 6-18-15-39; UWSP, Max Milosek 10-6-3-19; P.J. Bridges x-x-2-2.

Records: Adrian 20-6-2, UWSP 21-5-3