Falcons Win 2007 NCHA Championship

Feb. 12, 2007

The Falcon men's hockey team came through with its two biggest wins of the season to date with a weekend sweep of UW-Stout which gives the team the NCHA regular season championship and the No. 1 seed going into the league playoffs.

The NCHA regular season championship is the team's third ever. The 1988 and 1994 teams also won the regular season title. Both of those teams also won the NCHA playoff title and the NCAA National Championship.

"We are very proud to be NCHA champions; it's a tremendous feat," said Falcon Coach Steve Freeman. "In our very rich tradition of Falcon hockey it's another great accomplishment for our program."

The Falcons topped UWS 4-3 on Friday at Hunt Arena and took a dramatic 4-3 overtime win on Saturday in Menomonie. "We defeated a quality opponent and that is a great accomplishment," said Freeman. "Both games were dramatic and emotionally up and down games."

In Friday's win in front of 1,575 fans, UWRF led 1-0 after one and 2-1 after two.

The Falcons grabbed a 1-0 lead at 18:50 of the first period when Derek Hansberry scored his 18th goal of the season. He scored just after a face off and was assisted by TJ Dahl.

UWRF grabbed a 2-0 lead at 4:42 of the second period when Sean Pettinger scored his first collegiate goal. He beat the goalie with a shot from the point and was assisted by Dahl and Hansberry. Stout got back to within one when Andy Wiesner scored a power-play goal at 14:55.

The Falcons scored two unanswered third period goals. Dustin Norman scored at 11:28 from a sharp angle   with assists to Chris Robinson and Dahl. It was his seventh goal of the year. With just 3:32 to play Hansberry scored his second of the game and 19th of the season with UWRF on the power-play. He was assisted by Jim Henkemeyer.

Falcon goalie AJ Bucchino made 36 saves to get the win. He made 18 saves in the third period that had UWS out shoot UWRF, 18-7. Several shots came when the Falcons took two minor penalties with just 3:27 to play. But Bucchino and the Falcon penalty killers kept Stout off the scoreboard. "We were able to pack it in around our net and we didn't panic," said Freeman about the situation. "AJ came up with some great saves in that stretch."

Stout goalie Mike Stone made 26 saves.

UWRF was called for seven minor penalties and Stout five. UWRF finished 1-3 on the power play and Stout was 1-4.

"Hunt Arena was filled with emotion and electricity," said Freeman. "Our fans were the seventh player on the ice and made a huge difference for us. We played 60 strong minutes."

The Falcons came back with another gut check type performance on Saturday in the 4-3 overtime win. "Saturday we went into a hostile environment where Stout had not lost this year. We stayed mentally strong and what was an up and down emotional game," said Freeman.

Dustin Norman scored a power-play goal 46 seconds into overtime to help lead the Falcons to the win. He ripped a slap shot from 30 feet that beat the Stout goalie cleanly.

"We had the power play going into the overtime and talked about looking for a back door play. Dustin got the puck, but saw that the back door was covered so he let it rip. It was a laser," said Freeman.

UWRF led 2-1 after the first period. There was no scoring in the second period. Stout scored twice in the third period and the Falcons once.

Pat Borgestad got the Falcons on the score board first with a goal at 3:42 of the first period. It was his 13th goal of the season and he was assisted by Hansberry and Dahl. Late in the period the Falcons went on their first power play scored. Borgestad scored his second goal of the game, and 14th of the season, at 19:01. Tyler Kostiuk and Jim Henkemeyer got the assists. UWS came back just 38 seconds later to make it a 2-1 game. Matt Mlynarczyk got the goal. UWS out shot the Falcons, 14-7, in the first period.

There was no scoring in the third period and Stout again out shot UWRF, 14-3.

Stout tied the game when Paul Henderson scored at 4:16 of the third period. The Falcons went ahead, 3-2, at the 10 minute mark of the period when Hansberry scored his 20th goal of the season with UWRF on the power play. He was assisted by Dahl. But just 22 seconds later Stout tied the game at 3-3 when Mlynarczyk scored his second goal of the game. UWS held a 12-10 advantage in shots in the period.

UWS took a minor penalty with 21 seconds to play in the third period. That set up Norman's unassisted game winning goal. It was Norman's eighth goal of the year and his second game-winner of the season.

UWS out shot the Falcons, 40-21. UWRF was called for five minor penalties and Stout for seven. The Falcon power play was the difference in the game finishing 3-4. Stout was 0-2. "Our power play was the difference," said Freeman. "We played well under pressure."

Bucchino made 37 saves and Stone stopped 17 shots. Bucchino's record improves to 19-4-2.