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University of Wisconsin-Superior Athletics

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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Tanner Dion
Jade Jensen

Men's Hockey

Eau Claire Too Much For Yellowjackets

Tanner Dion
Box Score

Eau Claire 4, Yellowjackets 1

Coming into the weekend the Yellowjacket men's hockey team employed the top penalty kill in the country. In Friday's loss to UW-River Falls, it was a power play goal that provided the winning margin. Saturday against UW-Eau Claire, power play goals scored against the Yellowjackets again told the story.

The Blugolds converted twice on the man advantage in the first period, never trailing in the game and picking up the 4-1 win at the Hobbs Ice Center in Eau Claire Saturday.

The first power play goal came early, at 3:30 of the opening period. A shot from the blue line floated over the net after the shooter's stick broke. The loose puck was picked up behind the net by Brandon Wahlin and he centered to Jeff Pauluk who scored his first of the year from the right side of the goal.

Minutes later the Yellowjackets tied it. Cody Hotchkin (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) centered a pass from the left of the goal to Eric Shand (San Dimas, Calif./San Dimas), and Shand got it to Tanner Dion (Hardisty, Alberta/Central Sedgewick) in the right circle. Dion's wrist shot beat Eau Claire goaltender Jay Deo low on the glove side, tying the game at 1-1. The goal was Dion's sixth of the season. He leads the Yellowjackets with six goals and nine points on the year.

Eau Claire would get another power play late in the period, and that's when things unraveled for the Yellowjackets.

Jack Callahan sent a pass from his blue line ahead to Jake Hopfner, who split the Yellowjacket defense. Dylan Nelson (Clearwater, Minn./Annandale) grabbed hold of Hopfner, preventing him from getting a shot away. The puck rolled off his stick and somehow gut underneath Yellowjacket goaltender Bryce Fink (Tacoma, Wash./Keystone) to give the Blugolds a 2-1 lead. Nelson was also called for a penalty on the play, meaning Eau Claire, already 2-for-2 on the man advantage, would continue on the power play.

Seconds into the power play Yellowjacket Cal Miska (Stacy, Minn./Centennial) was called for kneeing. Eau Claire's Todd Koritzinsky took exception and engaged Miska. Both Koritzinsky and Miska were assessed five-minute majors for contact to the head and game misconducts. In addition, Miska was given a kneeing penalty, meaning Eau Claire would have an extended two-man power play.

The penalties carried over into the second period, and the Yellowjackets were able to kill them off, but they were never able to get back into the groove that they enjoyed Friday and part of the first period Saturday.

Eau Claire made it a 3-1 game at 9:59 of the second period as Ethan Nauman took a shot from the right circle that went off Fink and in.

In the third period the Yellowjackets had chances. Eau Claire continued to forecheck aggressively, and early on gave the Yellowjackets multiple odd-man rushes, but each time Deo turned them away. The Blugolds finished the game off with an empty net goal with less than a second to play, making the final score 4-1.

Fink, making just his third start of the season, made 23 saves in the game for the Yellowjackets. He falls to 1-2-0 on the year. At the other end, Deo turned in the second outstanding goaltending performance of the weekend against the Yellowjackets. He earned the win, making 39 stops.

Each team took seven penalties for 25 minutes in the game. Eau Claire finished 2-of-5 on the power play, while the Yellowjackets were 0-fo-5.

The Yellowjackets (5-6-0, 0-2-0 WIAC) return to action Friday, December 12 when they go to Fon du Lac, Wisconsin for a meeting with Marian University. Game time is set for 8:00 p.m. and can be heard live locally on 91.3 FM in Superior, beginning with the pre-game show at 7:40 p.m. Jon Garver will have the call.
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Players Mentioned

Tanner Dion

#12 Tanner Dion

F
6' 1"
Senior
Cody Hotchkin

#20 Cody Hotchkin

F
5' 9"
Senior
Eric Shand

#5 Eric Shand

D
6' 1"
Sophomore
Bryce Fink

#1 Bryce Fink

G
5' 8"
Freshman
Cal Miska

#28 Cal Miska

F
6' 1"
Freshman
Dylan Nelson

#18 Dylan Nelson

D
5' 11"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Tanner Dion

#12 Tanner Dion

6' 1"
Senior
F
Cody Hotchkin

#20 Cody Hotchkin

5' 9"
Senior
F
Eric Shand

#5 Eric Shand

6' 1"
Sophomore
D
Bryce Fink

#1 Bryce Fink

5' 8"
Freshman
G
Cal Miska

#28 Cal Miska

6' 1"
Freshman
F
Dylan Nelson

#18 Dylan Nelson

5' 11"
Freshman
D