Skip To Main Content

University of Wisconsin-Superior Athletics

schedule

Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Michael Rey
Jed Carlson-Superior Telegram

Men's Hockey

Saints slip past Yellowjackets in playoff opener

Michael Rey
Box Score

St. Scholastica 4, Yellowjackets 2
Box Score

The Yellowjacket men's hockey team entered the 2013 NCHA playoffs boisterously proclaiming that they were ready for the new season that is playoff hockey, and prepared to leave the struggles of the regular season's second half behind them. A win in the first game of the post-season would not only give them a leg up on their arch-rivals from St. Scholastica, but also distance themselves from an historical stretch of hockey. The history is in the negative sense, unfortunately, as the Yellowjackets entered the playoffs having won just once in their final 11 games.

The more things change, the more they stay the same, new season or not.

St. Scholastica scored a pair of power play goals in the second period and withstood a furious third period rally from the Yellowjackets to take game one of the NCHA quarterfinal series, 4-2 at Mars-Lakeview Arena in Duluth.

The loss means that the Yellowjackets (11-13-2) now must rely on a victory on Saturday followed by a win in a mini-game in order to advance to the second round of the playoffs. A loss or a tie in the game will put an end to season for the Yellowjackets.

As has been the case too often in the second half, the Yellowjackets took an early penalty that led to an opposing goal. The Yellowjackets killed off the penalty, but the Saints scored one second after the expiration, essentially making their first marker a power play goal. On this one Brandon Nowakowski carried the puck from the right of the goal through the goal mouth and waited out Drew Strandberg (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Westgate CV&I), beating him on the stick side to make it 1-0 at the 5:50 mark of the opening period.

The score stayed that way until midway through the second period when the Yellowjackets got careless and the Saints made them pay. Senior captain Kyle Leahy (Fort St. John, British Columbia/North Peace Secondary) was called for spearing, given a five-minute major and a game misconduct and Saints took advantage, scoring twice.

Paul Marcoux took a feed to the left of the Yellowjacket goal and his shot beat Strandberg on the short side to make it 2-0 at 11:33. A few minutes later it went to 3-0 when Tyler Miller ripped a one-timer from the right circle that went off the glove of Strandberg and in 14:41.

It remained a 3-0 game until later in the third period when Pat Dalbec (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) was on the receiving end of a big hit from St. Scholastica's Justin Krabben that knocked him out of the game and sent the Yellowjackets on a five-minute power play of their own.

At 13:02 of the period, Michael Rey (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Garden City Collegiate) had the puck at the left point and made a perfect pass across to Jeff Forsythe (Campbell River, British Columbia/Timberline Secondary) at the right point, and his one-timer beat Saints' goaltender Colin Rundell to get the Yellowjackets on the board, making it 3-1. Cody Hotchkin (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) also had an assist on the goal.

A couple minutes later the Yellowjackets shaved the lead to one when Josh Kesler (Naperville, Ill./Northville) found Rey in front of the Saints' goal, and with a nifty stickhandling move went from the forehand to the backhand and beat Rundell up high to make it 3-2 with 4:34 to play.

The Yellowjackets continued to press in the third period and nearly tied it on a pair of occasions, but both times Rundell was there to make the save.

In the final minute the Yellowjackets continued to apply pressure, but the Saints cleared the zone, keeping Strandberg on the ice. As the puck came into Yellowjacket territory, Strandberg played it into the neutral zone, hoping for a quick transition, but Garet Chumley intercepted for the Saints and went in alone on Strandberg. He faked backhand then went forehand, sliding it past Strandberg with 42 seconds remaining, sealing the 4-2 win.

Because of the offensive third period for the Yellowjackets, they ended up outshooting the Saints 34-28 for the game. Rundell picked up the win, making 32 stops, while Strandberg was tagged with the loss, finishing with 24 saves.

The Yellowjackets took three penalties for 17 minutes, while the Saints took four for 11 minutes. The Yellowjackets went 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Saints were 2-for-4.

The Yellowjackets and Saints will play game two of their quarterfinal series on Saturday, February 16. The opening face-off from Mars-Lakeview Arena is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and the game will 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 online through the iFan Sports Network. Jon Garver will have the call.
Print Friendly Version