Finlandia shuts out Yellowjackets

Box Score
Finlandia 3, Yellowjackets 0

The calendar year of 2013 was not a good one for the Yellowjacket men's hockey team. Going back to last season the Yellowjackets won just two games in the New Year, on their way to a first-round playoff ouster. This season, after showing flashes of what kind of team they can be, they have limped into the holiday break, winless in their last four games.

On Saturday afternoon the lowly Finlandia Lions, who entered the game winless in 11 starts this season, mercifully brought the year to a conclusion, as they shut out the Yellowjackets in the final game of 2013, 3-0 at the Houghton County Arena in Hancock, Mich.

The holiday break couldn't come at a more perfect time for the Yellowjackets, who will need the time off not only to heal some physical injuries, but also hit the reset buttion and come back in 2014 refreshed and ready to play what promises to be a rugged schedule of WIAC contests.

For the fourth straight game the Yellowjackets gave up a goal in the first five minutes on Saturday. Finlandia scored the eventual game-winning goal at 3:30 when, with a delayed penalty coming to the Yellowjackets, Collin Saint-Onge wristed a shot from the right circle past Dayn Belfour (Morden, Manitoba/Morden Collegiate) to give the Lions the 1-0 edge.

After the Yellowjackets killed off the penalty, they were rewarded with a five minute power play of their own, but the offense proved futile and they went to the locker room trailing.

Finlandia added to the lead in the second period with the Yellowjackets down two skaters. Nick Stoskopf (Warroad, Minn./Warroad) was assessed a five minute major for kneeing and given a game misconduct, and during that kill Wes Judnick (Virginia, Minn./Virginia) went to the box, giving the Lions a full two-minute five-on-three advantage. They capitalized when Brandon Passley put one past Belfour at 7:31 to push the lead to 2-0.

The Lions added an insurance marker at 14:20 when Jesse Parker centered the puck from the right corner and Sean Burke poked it past Belfour to stretch the lead to 3-0.

Later in the period the Yellowjackets had opportunities to score, but again were stymied. Michael Rey (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Garden City Collegiate) had arguably the best chance as he rang one of the post from the right circle. Cody Hotchkin (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) had a point-blank shot go off the side of the net, and a shorthanded chance by Brad Phenow (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice) was taken away by Finlandia goaltender Andrew Brownlee. The Yellowjackets also had an exhange where they had three chances, but Brownlee got the better of them, making all three saves in sprawling fashion.

In the third period the Yellowjackets threw everything they could at Brownlee, but time and again he was up to the task. He finished the game with 40 saves in earning his first collegiate shutout and first collegiate win. At the other end, Belfour made 21 saves for the Yellowjackets and falls to 2-4-0 on the season.

It was possibly the most undisciplined game of the season for the Yellowjackets, as they took 10 penalties for 42 minutes. Finlandia meanwhile was called for five penalties, totalling 21 minutes. The Yellowjackets were 0-for-3 on the power play while Finlandia went 1-for-6.

The Yellowjackets (4-7-2, 0-1-1 WIAC) will now be off for the better part of a month. They will return to action on Friday, January 10 when they face Bethel in Blaine, Minn. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and can be heard live 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 tune in on the web through the iFan Sports Network or the live audio stream through KUWS. Jon Garver will have the call.

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