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Men's Hockey

Blugolds edge Yellowjackets, complete sweep

Box Score

Eau Claire 3, Yellowjackets 1
Box Score

For some reason the month of January and the Yellowjacket men's hockey team just don't get along.  For each of the past four seasons, the Yellowjackets have struggled mightily in the year's first month, not exactly a good thing for a sport played in the winter.  In 2009-10 the Yellowjackets had a seven-game winless streak that included four straight losses.  The next year, they lost their last three of the month, part of a five-game skid that saw them get shut out three consecutive games.  Last season the Yellowjackets won their first and last games of the month, but in between went 0-4-2.

The 2012-13 edition feels the pain.  On Saturday night at the Hobbs Ice Center in Eau Claire, the Yellowjackets dropped their fifth straight decision, giving up two third-period goals in a 3-1 loss to the host Blugolds.

The win keeps Eau Claire in a tie for first place in the NCHA with St. Norbert College and the two teams meet on Friday night to determine who will reside atop the league standings in the final fifth of the season.  The loss meanwhile, puts the Yellowjackets eight points behind the co-leaders with just six games remaining on the schedule.  They currently sit tied for third place with UW-Stevens Point, each team with 11 points.  Right behind them is UW-River Falls with nine points, followed by UW-Stout with eight points and St. Scholastica with seven.

Coming off of a difficult loss on Friday night, the Yellowjackets bounced back with a complete team effort and did something that they hadn't done in two weeks - score first.

On their first power play of the game Joey Massingham (Duncan, British Columbia/Cowichan Secondary) had the puck in the right circle and sent a pass to Jeff Forsythe (Campbell River, British Columbia/Timberline Secondary) at the left point.  Massingham continued to the net and deflected Forsythe's shot home to make it 1-0 Yellowjackets at 9:11 of the opening period.  The goal gave the Yellowjackets their first lead since the Curry game on January 5, a span of two weeks.

The score stayed that way until UW-Eau Claire came back and tied the game at 8:54 of the second period.  Travis Peckskamp took a shot from a wide angle on the right, beating a screened Ryan Pinoniemi (Delano, Minn./Delano) down low to make it 1-1.

In the closing seconds of the second period the Yellowjackets nearly regained the lead, but the wrist shot from the high slot off the stick of Brett Meyers (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Champlin Park) went off the crossbar and deflected out of play.

The Blugolds scored the eventual game-winning goal when a clearing attempt kicked into the high slot and Alex Olson found Jon Waggoner in front, who beat Pinoniemi with a wrist shot to make it 2-1 at 5:57 of the period.  The lead was stretched to 3-1 a few minutes later on a fluke goal.  Olson had the puck in the neutral zone and dumped it into Yellowjacket territory.  Pinoniemi left the net to play the puck, only to have it hit a stanchion in the glass and carome into the goal before Pinoniemi could react.  Olson's first of the year came at 10:36.

The Yellowjackets, as they had all game, continued to apply pressure as time wound down, but they were unable to scrape up any more offense and were sent home with the loss.

Pinoniemi, making his first start since November 3 had a good game in goal, finishing with 19 saves, including a clutch save on a breakaway by Eau Claire's top scorer in the third period.  At the other end Brandon Stephenson was brilliant for the Blugolds, making 38 saves in the winning effort.

Each team took two penalties for four minutes.  The Yellowjackets were 1-for-2 on the power play while holding the Blugolds scoreless in their two chances with the man advantage.

The Yellowjackets (10-8-1, 5-6-1 NCHA) will get their next chance to climb back in the win column on Thursday, January 24 when they cross the river to take on St. Scholastica.  Game time from Mars-Lakeview Arena is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and can be heard live locally on 91.3 FM KUWS, beginning with the pre-game show at 6:45 p.m.  If you are outside the local listening area you can listen online through the iFan Sports Network.  Jon Garver will have the call.
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