Connor Ryckman

Going up against a pair of ranked teams on the road, the top-ranked University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point men’s hockey team won at 11th-ranked Marian Friday, Nov. 16, before the Pointers (6-0-2) tied third-ranked and defending NCAA Division III National Champion St. Norbert (4-2-1) 1-1 Saturday, Nov. 17.

UWSP opened with a 5-2 win over Marian (4-2) in Fond du Lac Friday night, as the Pointers scored three goals in the third period to break a 2-2 tie.

Sophomore Zach Zech had a goal on an assist from senior Tanner Karty 3:21 into the game to give UWSP a 1-0 lead, while sophomore Carter Roo scored a power-play goal on assists from senior TJ Roo and junior Danny Kiraly at the 10:55 mark of the first period to make it 2-0.

Marian scored 1:34 into the second period and added a short-handed goal at 10:39 of the second period to tie the game at 2-2, which it remained heading into late in the third period.

Colin Raver

There, Kiraly scored on assists from Karty and Zech at the 13:23 mark to give the Pointers a 3-2 lead, while sophomore Colin Raver scored a short-handed goal 25 seconds later on an assist from junior Austin Kelly to make it 4-2.

Raver added an unassisted, short-handed goal at the 17:22 mark to cap the scoring on the 5-2 win, as sophomore Connor Ryckman made 27 saves.

The Pointers squared off with St. Norbert in De Pere Saturday, where Ryckman made nine saves through the first two periods, and St. Norbert First Team All-American senior goaltender T.J. Black had 14 saves through two periods, as the game entered the third period tied 0-0.

St. Norbert struck with a goal 1:06 into the third period to take a 1-0 lead, but senior defenseman Ryan Bittner scored on assists from junior Brennen Miller and TJ Roo at the 12:13 mark to tie the game at 1-1.

Ryan Bittner

It stayed that way through the rest of regulation and overtime, as Ryckman made five saves in the extra period, and finished with 25 saves in the 1-1 tie.

UWSP remained the top-ranked team in this week’s D3hockey.com Poll and will play Nichols (R.I.) in its Holiday Tournament at K.B. Willett Arena at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23.

The loser will play in the Consolation Game at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, and the winner to play in the Championship Game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against either St. Thomas (Minn.) or Utica (N.Y.).