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Pointers Get Hard
Win Over MSOE, 4-2
By Scott Williams
Stevens Point Journal
Original
Article
Box Score
EAU CLAIRE - Officials
from the Hall of Fame probably won't be asking for Friday's game film from
the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point men's hockey team.
In fact, UWSP's players may have tossed the videotape into a fireplace as
soon as the final horn sounded.
While not aesthetically pleasing, UWSP played well enough to double up
Milwaukee School of Engineering, 4-2, in nonconference action at K.B.
Willett Arena.
"It's hard to say I'm disappointed with a win," UWSP coach Joe Baldarotta
said. "But we struggled to make a stick-to-stick pass, and we didn't make
the best decisions."
Part of the Pointers'
struggles can be traced to a 26-day layoff over the holiday break. Their
last game came Dec. 13.
Throw in a handful of
regulars who were missing due to injuries and illness, and UWSP (10-4-2) was
just happy to be able to put out four lines and three pairs of defensemen.
"Hopefully, we knocked the rust off the wheels," Baldarotta said. "The game
served a purpose, and we'll learn something from this." Before the videotape
is destroyed, Brian Soik would like a copy for his home library after
scoring a goal in the return to his hometown.
Willett served as a second home for the MSOE freshman who spent the past
four years as a member of Stevens Point Area Senior High.
Soik couldn't have asked for a better homecoming, unless the outcome was
reversed.
"I haven't slept for the last week. It was nice to come back here, and I was
happy to get one," said Soik, who has three goals on the season.
He took a pass from Jason Martin in the UWSP zone and somehow found a small
opening in Pointer goalie Ryan Scott's equipment.
Soik never played with Pointer goalie Ryan Scott at SPASH or at the youth
levels, so he had no inside knowledge on how to beat Scott.
"He's a big, good goalie. I just might have faced him in a pick-up game. I
just put it on net, and it went through his arm pit," Soik offered.
The goal brought the Raiders (5-11-0) within 2-1 with 8 1/2 minutes left in
the second period.
UWSP had jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals by James Jernberg, on the power
play, and Brett Coburn.
Soik gave the Raiders new life and a reason to believe they had a chance to
pull off the upset of the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association co-leaders.
"We were right there the whole night," Soik noted. "I wish we could have put
a few more pucks in the net."
The goal served as a
wake-up call for the Pointers.
Less than five minutes later, Nick Micek picked up his first goal as a
Pointer to restore a two-goal lead.
A great individual effort by Ryan Kirchhoff, who fought off a defender and
chipped the puck over Raider goalie Joe Dovalina, made it 4-1.
The Raiders' Jacob Basten added a little drama to the final 12 minutes of
regulation with a power-play goal. But it was too little, too late.
"The work ethic was there, but our fundamentals were not so hot. That's why
you have these kind of games," Baldarotta said. "To prepare you for the NCHA."
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