MENOMONIE, WI – In a Friday night clash at the Fanetti Community Center, the Beloit College Buccaneers (4-15-1, 1-9-0 WIAC) faced a formidable opponent in the nationally recognized UW-Stout Blue Devils (14-5-1, 7-2-1 WIAC). While the final score read 5-0 in favor of Stout, the statistics tell a story of a resilient Beloit squad that refused to back down under immense pressure, anchored by a career-defining performance in the crease.
If there was a singular hero for Beloit on Friday, it was goaltender Andrew Yocum (St. Louis, MO). Facing a relentless barrage of 41 shots, Yocum turned aside 36 of them, including several spectacular saves during high-leverage momentum shifts.
The Buccaneers' defense was under fire from the opening whistle, but Yocum's composure kept Beloit within striking distance through the first two periods. His 13 saves in the second period alone allowed Beloit to maintain its structure while facing a Stout offense that seemed to attack from every angle.
Beloit's momentum was most evident in their "blue-collar" defensive work. Despite the scoreboard, the Buccaneers won the "effort battles" in several key areas. Beloit players threw their bodies in front of everything, recording an impressive 16 blocked shots as a team. Sky Solig (Warroad, MN) and Trey Taylor (Abbotsford, BC) led the way with 3 blocks each, while Nik Johnson (Minneapolis, MN) and Zach Hutchinson (West Salem, WI) each contributed significant defensive stops to disrupt the Stout power play.
A major bright spot for Beloit was their efficiency at the faceoff dot. Nathan Hinze (Chaska, MN) was perfect on the night, winning 100% of his draws (3-for-3). Kaden Milles (Fairbanks, AK) was also a force in the circle, winning 9 of his 16 faceoffs (56.3%), providing Beloit with crucial puck possession to relieve defensive pressure.
Early in the second period, after falling behind 2-0, Beloit ramped up the physicality. While they faced five penalties throughout the game, their penalty kill units showed flashes of brilliance, particularly in the first period when they successfully neutralized a Stout advantage to keep the game a two-goal affair heading into the first intermission.
Offensively, the Buccaneers looked to Johnson and Landon Adams (St. Paul, MN) to spark the comeback. Johnson and Adams each had two shots on goal. Johnson had several dangerous looks in the first period that nearly put Beloit on the board early. Hutchinson and Josh Gulden (New Ulm, MN) also worked tirelessly on the forecheck, forcing Stout into several turnovers in the neutral zone during the second period
These two teams meet again tomorrow evening. Puck drop is set for 7 pm.
