Box Score

BLAINE, Minn. – The Bethel University men's hockey team fell victim to a late third period goal for the third straight game as they fell 5-3 at home to the #3 ranked University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The Royals took leads of 2-1 and 3-2 but a pair of goals in the last minute, including an empty netter, added to a season full of gut wrenching losses. Travis Payne scored a pair of goals and had three points total for Bethel while Steven Bolton was once again outstanding in the net for the Royals. UWSP has been ranked either second or third in the USCHO Top 15 poll for the last two months and are receiving first place votes, but the Royals gave the Pointers all they could handle in the non-conference tilt.

Stevens Point took their first lead half way through the first period with a goal before the Royals were able to tie it up early in the second period. Just 38 seconds in Mitch Hughes was able to deflect a Tony Larson shot past the Pointers goalie. Travis Payne then did the same, deflecting a Larson shot into the net, for a 2-1 Royals lead mid-way through the second period. Five minutes later UWSP tied the game back up at 2-2. Mid-way through the third period Bethel was able to take the lead back when Payne scored his second goal of the night and eighth of the year. Hughes and Brock Raffaele assisted. The lead was short lived however, as the Pointers leading scorer, Garrett Ladd notched his 15th goal of the season just under two minutes later. Ladd, who is tied for third in the nation with 31 points, was able to fire the game winner past Bolton off a rebound during a UWSP power play with just one minute remaining in the game. The Pointers added an empty net goal with 19 seconds remaining for the final margin. Bolton made 39 saves for Bethel, including 15 each in the second and third periods.

The loss marks the fifth time for Bethel this season in which the opponents game winning goal was scored in overtime or late in the third period. The Royals fell to 3-14-2 on the season while the Pointers improved to 15-2-2. Bethel returns to MIAC play next weekend when they face off with the league leading University of St. Thomas.