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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Brad Phenow
Jed Carlson-Superior Telegram

Men's Hockey

Yellowjackets win "Border Battle"

Brad Phenow had the game winning goal and picked up a pair of assists as the Yellowjackets won at St. Scholastica on Saturday night, 3-2.
Box Score

Yellowjackets 3, St. Scholastica 2

For the first time this season, it felt like winter outiside as the temperatures dipped into the single digits. Inside Mars-Lakewview Arena, however, the temp was at hot as ever as the Yellowjackets and the College of St. Scholastica renewed acquiantences for the only time this season.

It was arguably the best performance of the season for the Yellowjackets, as they followed up Friday's clunker against Marian with an inspired performance, downing the Saints on their home ice by a 3-2 score in front of a near-capacity crowd.

The victory prevented the Yellowjackets from losing back-to-back games while also handing the Saints their first defeat of 2013-14.

The Yellowjackets came out on fire, dominating play early and holding a decisive territorial advantage in the first period, but it was the Saints, however, that drew first blood.

A neutral zone turnover gave the Saints a 2-on-1 and Brandon Nowakowski gave a perfect feed to Josh Hansen who one-timed the puck past Drew Strandberg (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Westgate CV&I) on the stick side to make it 1-0.

The Yellowjackets answered just 26 seconds later. Brad Phenow (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice) picked up the puck in the left corner of the Saints' zone and centered a pass that found Tanner Dion (Hardisty, Alberta/Central Sedgewick) and he ripped a shot over the shoulder of Colin Rundell to tie the score 1-1.

Off the ensuing face-off the Yellowjackets took a penalty and the Saints needed just six seconds to capitalize. Derek Hills took the shot from the blue line that was tipped in front by Keegan Bruce and the Saints regained the lead, 2-1, with the power play goal.

All three goals in the first period were scored in a span of 38 seconds.

Down a goal, the Yellowjackets rallied to tie the score early in the second period. Jeff Forsythe (Campbell River, British Columbia/Timberline Secondary) stepped out from behind his own goal and sent a long stretch pass to center, springing Pat Dalbec (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) in on the breakaway, and his shot beat Rundell at 5:25 to knot the game at 2-2.

Minutes later the Yellowjackets forced the Saints to take a penalty in the neutral zone, and on the delayed call put the extra attacker on the ice and forechecked hard in St. Scholastica territory. Nick Stoskopf (Warroad, Minn./Warroad) had control of the puck behind the Saints net and he centered to Phenow, who slid a backhand past Rundell to give the Yellowjackets their first lead of the night, 3-2, with 7:48 left in the second period.

The Yellowjackets used the go-ahead goal to continue to control the play, and went to the locker room up one after two periods.

In the third period the frantic pace of the game continued as the teams traded chances, but neither was able to put one home. In the waning minutes the Saints pulled Rundell, and the Yellowjackets had a chance to ice the game when Anton Svensson (Soldertalje, Sweden/Igelstavikens Gymnasium) had a breakaway on the open net, but a Saints' backchecker came flying back and prevented the Yellowjackets from scoring. The Saints had one last chance late, but the Yellowjackets shut the door to pick up the non-conference win.

Strandberg was once again a rock in goal for the Yellowjackets, finishing the night with 16 saves to even his record at 2-2-0 for the year. At the other end Rundell took his first loss of the season, finishing the night with 25 stops.

Phenow, with a goal and two assists, had the first three-point game of his Yellowjacket career. Forsythe had a pair of assists and Dion had a goal and an assist.

The Yellowjackets took three penalties for six minutes, while St. Scholastica took just two for four minutes. The Yellowjackets were 0-for-2 on the power play, while the Saints went 1-for-3.

The Yellowjackets (3-4-0, 0-0-0 WIAC) will now head east to take part in the 2013 PrimeLink Great Northern ShootOut, where they will meet host Plattsburgh State University on Friday, November 29 at 6:00 p.m. Wisconsin time. The game can be heard live locally on 91.3 FM KUWS, beginning with the pre-game show at 5:45 p.m. If you are outside the local listening area you can tune in on the Internet through the iFan Sports Network or Wisconsin Public Radio. Jon Garver will be on the call.
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