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Power Play Goals Carry Pointers to
Victory
by Scott Williams
Stevens Point Journal
Original Article
Box
Score
So much for working on the power play in practice.
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point men's hockey team got plenty of
practice with the man-advantage Friday night.
Tom Vernelli and Ryan Kirchhoff both scored power-play goals in the third period
to carry the Pointers to a 4-2 nonconference win over Hamline University at K.B.
Willett Arena.
The NCAA has mandated officials strictly enforce the rules, helping UWSP convert
on 2 of its 9 power-play chances while the Pipers were shut out on their 10
attempts.
"Things that I think are penalties are not penalties and things officials
think aren't penalties are now," UWSP coach Joe Baldarotta said.
"These are things we've been teaching players since they were 4 years old.
"It's not the referee's fault. It's the coaches'. This is what we told them
to do. Hopefully, we'll be able to find a happy medium and we'll have a pretty
good game then."
After misfiring on their first seven opportunities, the
Pointers (2-0) finally broke through with 8 minutes left in regulation to break
a 2-2 tie. Vernelli handled the scoring honors as he sent a lazer-guided missile
past the glove hand of Hamline goalie John Harstad (29 saves).
"We're finding out two power play units isn't enough," Baldarotta
said. "You're going to need four. You can't keep putting the same guys out
there. We just put our regular lines out there. No magic. Nothing special. We
were like, 'We've got five, you've got four.'"
Kirchhoff would soon follow with a power-play goal of his own.
The insurance goal had his name written all over it. Kirchhoff drew the penalty
by being plowed over and he made the Pipers pay by finally shoveling home his
third rebound.
Kirchhoff received some solace with the goal as the senior wing came up empty on
a number of scoring chances over the course of the night.
"I think the whole team was a little snakebit," Kirchhoff said.
"It was very nice to get a goal after they came in high and took me out. I
just kept cranking things on net."
For the second straight game the Pointers unintentionally
went with a game plan of playing from behind. Travis Schneider scored off the
rush at 4:59 of the opening period with an assist from Cody Drysdale. The 1-0
lead stood up after one period. The lackluster performance in the opening 20
minutes didn't sit well with Baldarotta.
"We got outworked in the first period in our own building," he said.
"We just watched them play. There is no excuse for that. You've got to give
them credit."
UWSP came out with a sense of purpose in the second period.
The attention to detail eventually paid off as freshmen Colin Trulock and
Vernelli scored 50 seconds apart to put the Pointers on top 2-1.
Freshmen have accounted for four of the team's seven goals through the team's
first two games.
"That is great for them and great for me," Baldarotta said. "That
is what we brought them in for."
Vernelli is in an envious position playing on the top line
with highly-skilled players like Kirchhoff and Mike Brolsma. The freshman from
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, has fit right in.
"He brings another guy who can see the ice and is pretty quick,"
Kirchhoff said. "He give us more fire and he can finish."
The Pointers' first lead was short-lived, however, as
Hamline's Matt Tonjum scored just 14 seconds after Vernelli had give them the
lead.
Not exactly what UWSP had in mind. But a strong third
period made up for one of the cardinal sins of hockey - allowing a goal on the
ensuing shift.
"That was a momentum killer," Baldarotta said. "I thought we had
a shot to make it 3-1 after scoring those goals. That is something we'll learn
from. I'm not too upset or going to gripe about a win."
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