Mini-Game dooms Yellowjackets

Drew Strandberg

Box Score 1

Stevens Point 3, Yellowjackets 0
Box Score

As the events unfolded at Saturday's men's hockey game between the Yellowjackets and UW-Stevens Point, it became clear that the game would be a microcosm of the team's season as a whole. In other words, a lack of offense, particularly at key times, would come back and haunt the team, and ultimately end their season.

In the initial game, it was all Pointers, who used a pair of third period goals to cruise past the Yellowjackets 3-0, evening the first round NCHA playoff series at 1-1, and setting the stage for a mini-game. In the decider, the Yellowjackets finally broke through, but weren't able to close the deal and fell to the Pointers 2-1 in overtime.

The losses bring the 2011-12 season, one which started with a lot of promise and aspirations of an NCAA title run to a close.

The Yellowjackets opened Saturday's game on their heels, and it didn't help matters that took the first three penalties of the game. Three penalties in a span of eight minutes got the Pointers up and running. Jon Madden hit a post on one of the power plays, but the Yellowjackets were able to kill the first two off. Minutes later, Pat Dalbec (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) would ring one off the post, but it stayed out and the game remained scoreless.

Then came the third penalty, and the Yellowjackets weren't as lucky this time around. With Marc Fortin (Pottageville, Ontario/King City Secondary) off for elbowing, the Pointers scored the eventual game-winning goal at 15:54 of the first period when Chade Boeckman tipped a point-shot past Drew Strandberg (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Westgate CV&I) to make it 1-0.

There was no scoring in the second period, but there were no shortage of chances. The Yellowjackets again had chances, loose puck rebounds and wide-open nets, but something always went awry, either the shot was fanned on or a defender getting a stick on it.

The Pointers thought they scored their second goal midway through the period, but the referees, after a long conference, decided to wave the goal off.

In the third period the Pointers came out like a team possessed, and salted the game away with a pair of goals in the first 11 minutes. Kevin Gibson had the puck at the left point and played it to the right post, where Max Bobrow stood and he lifted a shot over Strandberg to make it 2-0 just 4:17 into the period. The Pointers closed out the scoring when Kyle Heck tipped a shot out front that got through Strandberg to make it 3-0. The power play goal came at 11:41.

Brandon Jaeger was rock-solid in net for Stevens Point, making 18 saves to get the win and his first collegiate shutout. At the other end, Strandberg made 14 saves.

The Yellowjackets took eight penalties for 27 minutes, a number padded by a five-minute major and a game misconduct to Fortin after he was whistled late for contact to the head. The Pointers, meanwhile, took just four penalties for eight minutes. The Yellowjackets were 0-2 on the power play and the Pointers went 2-7.

With the win, the Pointers salvaged a series split and forced the season to come down to a 20-minute mini-game.

Mini Game

Stevens Point 2, Yellowjackets 1 - OT
Box Score

The Yellowjackets and the Pointers have a long history of mini-games, and unfortunately for fans of the black and yellow, the history favors Stevens Point. Saturday's mini-game was the sixth in the history of the playoff rivalry, and coming into this one, the Pointers held a 4-1 edge.

The trend would continue.

Stevens Point was called for an early penalty and the Yellowjackets took advantage. Justin Faryna (Calgary, Alberta/Bishop McNally), who found another gear in the mini-game, took a feed in the slot and shoveled a backhand between the pads of Jaeger to make it 1-0 at 4:53 of the game. Andy Singerhouse (Hudson, Wis./Hill-Murray) and Zack Maxwell (Colbert, Wash./Mount Spokane) assisted.

From there the teams traded opportunities, but both goaltenders were up to the task.

With time winding down, the Pointers pulled Jaeger in favor of an extra attacker. Their offensive zone work with the additional skater was masterful, moving the puck with precision and wearing out the Yellowjacket defense in the process. With just 35.2 seconds left, Boeckman took a pass in the left circle and wired a wrist shot over the glove of a screened Strandberg, tying the game at 1-1.

The final seconds expired and the teams headed for a 20-minute, sudden-death overtime period.

The Yellowjackets enjoyed some chances early, particularly Brett Meyers (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Champlin Park) who nearly missed ending the game on a happy note twice on one shift.

But in the end it was the Pointers who would get it done. Heck pounced on a loose puck behind the Yellowjacket goal and, doing what the conference scoring leader is supposed to do, found a way to get it to the left post and drove it past Strandberg, giving the Pointers the overtime win and putting an end to the Yellowjackets' season.

Each team took one penalty in the mini-game for two minutes. The Yellowjackets were 1-1 on the power play and the Pointers were 0-1.

Strandberg made five saves in the mini-game, while Jaeger turned away 12 shots.

The Yellowjackets are now 0-5 under Dan Stauber when it plays in mini-games. They have lost to UW-Stevens Point (2004, 2012), St. Scholastica (2007, 2010) and UW-Eau Claire (2008). You have to go back to the 1999-00 season to find the last time the Yellowjackets have won a mini-game, that coming against St. Norbert College in the NCHA semifinals.

The Yellowjackets finish the 2011-12 season with a 10-10-7 record.

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Mini-Game dooms Yellowjackets