The two teams combined for six power play goals and one shorthanded goal throughout the evening and a wild second period that saw four goals scored three by Stout (2-2-1, 0-2-1).

The Saints (3-1-1, 2-0-1) took an early lead, scoring twice in the first period. Jeremy Dawes got a shorthanded goal three minutes into the contest and Chris Meagher picked up the first power play goal of the evening with two minutes left in the first period.

The second period, for the most pat, belonged to Stout. Andy Sternberg (Sr, Duluth, Minn) scored two goals in his hometown – the second time this season he has scored two goals in a game – getting the only even strength goal of the game just a minute into the period. Sternberg scored on the power play at 9:32 to open a brief scoring frenzy.

The Saints Austin Brown rapped in a power play goal at 11:43, but Stout’s Joel Gaulrapp (Sr, Owatonna, Minn) knotted the score at 3 apiece at 12:11.

St. Scholastica grabbed the lead back two minutes into the third period, again on a power play. Scott Motz (Sr, Lake Elmo, Minn) scored with seven minutes left in regulation to tie the score at 4-4.

Neither team recorded much of an attack in the overtime session, with St. Scholastica putting two shots on net, while Stout had one shot.

Stout’s Tom Lescovich (Fr, Clifton Park, NY) recorded 32 saves on the evening, while the Saints’ Brennan Poderzay (12) and Zach Kleiman (5) combined for 17 saves.

Tom Lescovich (G)

MENOMONIE (November 7, 2009) – Eight different players scored goals and Tom Lescovich (Fr, Clifton Park, NY) picked up his first collegiate shutout as UW-Stout defeated St. Thomas, 8-0, at the Dunn County Ice Arena Saturday.

Danny Ryan (Jr, Niles, Ill), Scott Motz (Sr, Lake Elmo, Minn), Garrett Grimstad (Fr, Rochester, Minn), Robert Carr (Jr, Roseau, Minn), Derek Hanson (Sr, Bemidji, Minn), Joe Beaudette (Fr, Blaine, Minn), Justin Giles (Fr, Jenks, Okla), and Joel Gaulrapp (Sr, Owatonna, Minn) all scored. Ryan’s goal was shorthanded, Stout’s second shorthanded goal in as many games.

Hanson had three assists and Gaulrapp and Motz each had two.

Stout (2-2-0) broke the game wide open with five goals in the first 13 minutes of the second period.

Lescovich had 29 saves, while St. Thomas (2-1-1) used three goalies, who combined for 30 saves.

Stout will be at St. Scholastica, Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14.

Joel Gaulrapp Tickles The Twine In The 3rd

Content courtesy of UW-Stout Sports Information Department

Tom Lescovich (G)

MENOMONIE (October 31, 2009) – UW-Stout had to play defensively for much of the final two periods and St. Norbert went on to a 4-1 win Saturday afternoon at the Dunn County Ice Arena.

The Blue Devils (0-2-0, 0-2-0) were whistled for six consecutive penalties starting in the first period and carrying through into the third period. The Blue Devils penalty kill was fairly impressive as they allowed only one power play goal, and that came seconds before one power play ended and a delayed penalty was whistled in the second to push St. Norbert (3-0-0, 2-0-0) to a 3-1 lead.

It was St. Norbert that was on the defensive in the first period, picking up the first three penalties of the game. But St. Norbert fought off all Stout power play opportunities.

The Knights opened the scoring in the second minute of the game, getting a goal by Johan Ryd.

Stout tied the score in the second period as the Blue Devils’ No. 1 line went to work. Derek Hanson (Sr, Bemidji, Minn) took passes from Scott Motz (Sr, Lake Elmo, Minn) and Joel Gaulrapp (Sr, Owatonna) a minute into the stanza.

But the tie was short lived. Less than two minutes later, Ryd scored his second goal of the game at 2:37 in the period. Brandon Langley scored a power play goal at the 15 minute mark of the second period and put the game away with a goal by Matt Boyd with four minutes left in the game.

The Knights outshot Stout, 43-16. Stout’s Tom Lescovich (Fr, Clifton Park, NY) had 39 saves and the Knights’ BJ O’Brien had 15 saves.

Stout will host St. Mary’s, Friday, Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m. and St. Thomas, Saturday, Nov. 7, again at 7:30 p.m.

Tom Lescovich (G)

Nick Hopper (G)

Nick Hopper (Culver City, CA) will start against the St. Norbert Green Knights this Friday at the Dunn Co. Ice Palace.  Saturday night we will see goaltender Tom Lescovich (Clifton Park, NY) take the pipes against SNC in game 2 of the series.  Both returning goaltenders (Pischlar, Morgan)  are not in the plans to see any action this weekend.

“It looks like Hopper kind of has the inside track right now, but the [others] have been looking very good as well,” said Watkins. “If we can get anything close to what we had last year, I think we’ll be ok. I don’t know if we’ll be as good in goal as we were last year, but if we can get above average goaltending we’ll be fine.” (Via USCHO)

The Blue Devils are very deep this season all around.  Coach Watkins will likely be shifting line and plugging players in where he thinks he’ll have the best chance to win in that particular game or series.

Matt Kaskavitch (play-by-play) was knocked into the losers bracket along with Devils’ Advocate fan Caleb Sherman.  Their fates have yet to be fully determined.

Many tournament favorites were no-shows for the event including  Tony V (DA), Matt Morin (F) and Jared Britton (F).

The tournament is set to finish next weekend as schedules conflicted and the tournament had to be put on halt for the day.

Mike Morgan (G) warming up

Brandon Larson (D) & Dan Walenski (Color)

Bracket After Day 1

Tom Lescovich (G)

UW-Stout has what seems to be a tradition of solid goal-tending.  Mike Stone was an All-American and Matt Koenig carried the squad last season all the way to the NCAA Championships.  UW-Stout has received a commitment from Tom Lescovich of the Albert Lea Thunder in the NAHL.

A big goaltender standing a towering 6’3 in net, Lescovich has a reputation of being cool headed.

“Most of them out there, they’re a weird duck so to speak (goalies),” Albert Lea head coach Brad Zangs. “And he’s not. He’s a pretty cool kid.”

Tom Lescovich Statistics —

41gp, (4-28-4, 4.81, .879)

Lescovich will probably remind most Stout fans of Matt Koenig, a big goaltender who can move solid in the net.  Just because he doesn’t have flashy stats doesn’t mean he can’t play at the collegiate level as a starter.   Great goaltenders in college often come from less talented junior teams where they see lots of shots every game.

Lescovich will join junior goaltender Jesse Pischlar (Sudbury, ON) and sophomore Mike Morgan (Northfield, MN).  Pischlar who had two years to study under both Koenig and Stone will be the likely starter this coming season and has shown steady improvement since arriving on campus.  Morgan will battle with Lescovich for the back-up spot and minutes during the first half of the season against some lesser opponents.