Skip To Main Content

University of Wisconsin-Superior Athletics

schedule

Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Ian Ecklund
Jade Jensen

Men's Hockey

Yellowjackets get off the schnide with win over MSOE

Ian Ecklund scored two third period goals to help the Yellowjackets to a 4-1 win over MSOE Saturday.
Box Score

Yellowjackets 4, Milwaukee School of Engineering 1

The English language may not have a word to adequately explain how badly the Yellowjacket men's hockey team needed a win Saturday. Not only would a win put a halt to a three-game losing streak, but it would give the Yellowjackets some much needed momentum heading into the break. With nearly a month off between games, another loss would have left a bitter taste in the team's collective mouth for a long time. In other words, a victory was paramount.

Mission accomplished. Everyone can breathe a sigh of relief.

The Yellowjackets scored four consecutive goals, including three in the third period to upend the Milwaukee School of Engineering 4-1 Saturday afternoon at the Kern Center in downtown Milwaukee.

In the end the contest was a three-goal win, but in the early going it looked more like a case of, "Here we go again."

The first period favored MSOE, as they outshot the Yellowjackets 12-11, with five of the Yellowjackets' shots coming on the power play. The long goal of the frame went the way of the Raiders as well.

On their second power play of the game, the Yellowjackets let the Raiders' Omar Mullen gain control of the puck in the neutral zone. Mullen carried the puck into the Yellowjacket zone on the right side and wired a wrist shot from the circle over the glove of goaltender Zach Thompson (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) to make it a 1-0 game. The goal was the first shorthanded marker given up by the Yellowjackets this season.

In the second period the tide slowly began to change in favor of the Yellowjackets, and a fortunate bounce allowed them to tie the game. A shot from the right circle went wide of the goal and the carome off the end boards was misplayed by MSOE, resulting in Cody Hotchkin (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) scoring his third goal of the season, tying the game 1-1. Tanner Dion (Hardisty, Alberta/Central Sedgewick) and Anton Svensson (Soldertalje, Sweden/Igelstavikens Gymnasium) assisted on the goal at 11:37.

The Yellowjackets were energized after the goal and nearly broke the tie, but instead went to the second intermission tied.

Early in the third period the Yellowjackets finally broke the tie and grabbed the lead. Eric Shand (San Dimas, Calif./San Dimas) got the puck in the left circle and fed a pass to the blue line where Owen Stauber (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown) put a one timer on goal. The save was made, but the rebound came to Ian Ecklund (Twig, Minn./Proctor) in the slot, and the freshman put a backhand over Raider goaltender Austin Campbell to make it 2-1 at 5:52 of the third.

Less than three minutes later Ecklund struck again, this time on the power play. Ecklund got the puck to the right of the MSOE goal and moved across the goal mouth. He kicked the puck from his skate to his stick and slid a shot past Campbell at 8:51 to push the lead to 3-1.

The Yellowjackets closed out the scoring in the final minute when Jordan Neduzak (Morden, Manitoba/Morden Collegiate Institute) scored into the empty net to make the final score 4-1.

With the win the Yellowjackets, for the first time this season, won a game after giving up the first goal. They also won for the first time this season when trailing after one period.

Thompson earned the win in goal for the Yellowjackets, finishing the game with 25 saves. He is now 2-2-0 on the year. At the other end, Campbell made 31 saves in the loss for MSOE.

On the power play, the Yellowjackets went 1-for-5 while MSOE didn't have any chances with the man advantage.

The Yellowjackets (6-7-0, 0-2-0 WIAC) are now off until Friday, January 9 when they host Concordia University Wisconsin at Wessman Arena. The first-ever meeting between the two teams is set to get underway at 7:05 p.m. and can be heard live locally on 91.3 FM 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

Players Mentioned

Tanner Dion

#12 Tanner Dion

F
6' 1"
Senior
Cody Hotchkin

#20 Cody Hotchkin

F
5' 9"
Senior
Jordan Neduzak

#9 Jordan Neduzak

F
5' 11"
Sophomore
Eric Shand

#5 Eric Shand

D
6' 1"
Sophomore
Owen Stauber

#22 Owen Stauber

D
6' 0"
Sophomore
Anton Svensson

#11 Anton Svensson

F
5' 8"
Sophomore
Zach Thompson

#35 Zach Thompson

G
5' 11"
Sophomore
Ian Ecklund

#4 Ian Ecklund

F
6' 3"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Tanner Dion

#12 Tanner Dion

6' 1"
Senior
F
Cody Hotchkin

#20 Cody Hotchkin

5' 9"
Senior
F
Jordan Neduzak

#9 Jordan Neduzak

5' 11"
Sophomore
F
Eric Shand

#5 Eric Shand

6' 1"
Sophomore
D
Owen Stauber

#22 Owen Stauber

6' 0"
Sophomore
D
Anton Svensson

#11 Anton Svensson

5' 8"
Sophomore
F
Zach Thompson

#35 Zach Thompson

5' 11"
Sophomore
G
Ian Ecklund

#4 Ian Ecklund

6' 3"
Freshman
F