BLAINE, Minn. – The Bethel University men's hockey team could not overcome a three goal first period deficit falling to the fifth ranked Pointers of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Saturday night, 5-1.

Dropping back-to-back games for the first time this year, BU falls to 1-3-1. Heading back into MIAC play the Royals take on St. Thomas next weekend opening up the home-and-home series on the road Friday night at 7 p.m.

UWSP (4-2) proved they had some of the best skaters in the country scoring 2:19 into the game. Bethel went on the power play midway through the first after going down 2-0. The Royals did not get a shot off during the man advantage but had three great looks in front of the net immediately after it expired. The Pointers took a three-goal lead into the first intermission scoring 15:22 into the first.

The Royals responded well out of the break taking four of the second period's first five shots on goal. Stevens Point made it 4-0 5:49 into a clean second period that did not see a single penalty called.

Bethel had its hands full in the third but still skated with the Pointers. Bethel picked up a loose puck in its defensive zone as skating the other way Josiah Roen fired off a shot from point blank range scoring his second of the season.

The Royals had two power play opportunities in in the third getting four looks on net between the two. Nick Ketola was inches away from cutting the deficit to two as his slap shot from inside the blue like hit the cross bar.