Wisconsin-Stevens Point reaches first title game in 16 seasons with 2-1 win
LEWISTON, Maine. -- Joe Kalisz scored the game-winning goal and Brandon Jaeger made a season-high 45 saves to send the Wisconsin-Stevens Point to the national championship game with a 2-1 victory against Oswego State in the NCAA semifinals on Friday evening at Androscoggin Bank Colisee.
Kalisz scored his 15th goal of the season from Alex Brooks and Tyler Krueger at 17:01 of the second period on the lone power-play opportunity of the game for UW-Stevens Point (22-5-2). He ripped a slap shot from the left wing that slipped between Lakers goalie Matt Zawadski, who made 29 saves, for his team-leading fifth game-winning goal of the season.
UW-Stevens Point will take on St. Norbert in the national championship game on Saturday in its first appearance in the title game since finishing as national runner-up in 1998. The Pointers are looking for their first national crown since 1993.
The Pointers and Green Knights, who beat Geneseo State 6-2 in the other national semifinal, skated to a 2-2 tie at K.B. Willett Arena on Jan. 11.
The Lakers took the lead midway through the first period on Shawn Hulshof's 10th goal of the season. Hulshof's goal was assisted by David Titanic's cross-ice pass at 9:30 of the opening period.
UW-Stevens Point tied the score at 1-1 with one minute remaining in the opening period on a goal Kyle Sharkey's 15th goal of the season. Kalisz and Kyle Brodie set up Sharkey's goal from in front of the net at the tail end of the first period, in which the Pointers outshot the Lakers 18-13.
The Pointers killed off a pair of power-play chances for Oswego State in the final period.