RIVER FALLS, Wis. — In a performance defined by sheer defensive grit and goaltending brilliance, the Beloit College men's hockey team stunned UW-River Falls 1-0 on the road this evening at Hunt Arena.
The Buccaneers (2-3-1, 1-1-0, WIAC) leaned heavily on goaltender Andrew Yocum (St. Louis, MO), who delivered a 47-save shutout to steal a road victory against the Falcons (4-4-0, 0-2-0 WIAC). Despite being outshot more than 2-to-1 and losing the faceoff battle decidedly, the Buccaneers capitalized on their best momentum swing in the second period and held on for a white-knuckle finish.
The story of the night was undoubtedly Yocum. Facing a relentless Falcons offense that fired 85 total attempts toward the net, Yocum was perfect.
His performance began with a 16-save first period to keep the game scoreless despite the Falcons controlling the pace early. However, his most critical work came in the third period. As UW-River Falls grew desperate for an equalizer, they unleashed a barrage of 21 shots on goal in the final 20 minutes. Yocum turned away every single one, anchoring a defensive unit that bent but never broke.
While the Falcons dominated the bookends of the game, the second period belonged to the Buccaneers. It was the only frame where Beloit outshot the home team (12-10), and they made it count.
The game's lone momentum-shifting goal came at the 15:02 mark of the second period. Joe Weber (Rochester, NY) found the back of the net for his second goal of the season. The play was set up by Landon Adams (St. Paul, MN) and Jack Baird (Riverside, CA), who were credited with the assists. The goal served as a massive energized pivot for the Bucs, rewarding them for their most assertive stretch of offensive play in the contest.
Protecting the slim 1-0 lead required a total team effort. Beloit sacrificed their bodies all night, racking up 19 blocked shots compared to just 6 for the Falcons. Sam Holy (Chicago, IL) led the way with 4 blocks, while Tommy Kundinger (Neenah, WI) added 3. The Buccaneers' special teams unit was perfect, killing off all three UW-River Falls power plays, including a critical interference penalty early in the second period and back-to-back penalties in the third period that threatened to swing the tide.
The victory came despite Beloit winning only 29.6% of the faceoffs (21 of 71). The Falcons dominated possession, particularly Max Collette (23 faceoff wins), but Beloit's ability to clog shooting lanes and clear rebounds nullified the possession advantage.
The Buccaneers don't return to the ice until after Thanksgiving. They will host UW-Eau Claire at the Woodman's center on Thursday, December 4th. Puck drop is set for 8 pm.
