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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Kiara De Kezel
Jade Jensen

Women's Hockey

Yellowjackets Win Bridge Battle

Kiara De Kezel
Box Score

Yellowjackets 2, St. Scholastica 1

The Yellowjacket women's hockey team needs a break - not because things aren't going well, but rather because they have played five games in the last eight days. After going 3-1 in the first four games they faced arguably the toughest test of that stretch Tuesday night, an early-week game across the bridge at the College of St. Scholastica. The Saints entered game struggling, having won just twice in their previous seven games, but rarely do streaks such as that matter when these two teams take to the ice.

And that's exactly how it looked early. St. Scholastica scored an early goal to take the lead, but the Yellowjackets carried the play, dominating the first two periods and netting a pair of second period goals to earn the 2-1 win at Mars-Lakeview Arena.

The two teams will meet again in the final game of the regular season, Tuesday, February 18 at Wessman Arena.

The Yellowjackets outshot the Saints 25-7 through the first two periods, including 12-5 in the first period, but it was the Saints that went into the first intermission with the lead.

With Saige Patrick (Steinbach, Manitoba) serving a penalty for tripping, Nina Waidacher scored her NCHA-best 16th goal of the season on the power play to stake the Saints to the 1-0. The goal came just 2:49 into the game.

Things stayed that way until the early stages of the second period when the Yellowjackets drew even. With assists from WIAC Athlete of the Week Dani Schultz (Morris, Minn./Morris Area) and Emily Heid (Elk River, Minn./Elk River), Kiara De Kezel (Deloraine, Manitoba/Deloraine) found the back of the net, scoring her sixth goal of the season at 5:50 to tie the game at 1-1.

Before the second period was over the Yellowjackets would take the lead for good. Sophomore transfer Leah Elledge (Champlin Park, Minn./Champlin Park) scored unassisted at 13:30 of the middle frame to push the Yellowjackets ahead 2-1. For Elledge, it was her second goal since joining the Yellowjackets at the semester break from Lindenwood University. Elledge has been all clutch since donning the black and gold, with both of her goals being game winners.

In the third period St. Scholastica outshot the Yellowjackets 7-5 and had a great chance to tie the game with another power play early, but every time a threat presented itself Yellowjacket goaltender Kim Kobar (The Pas, Manitoba/Margaret Barbour Collegiate) was there to close the door.

Kobar, who prior to last Monday hadn't played a game since November 21, has played all five games during the recent eight-day stretch. Tuesday night she improved to 7-2-0 on the year, finishing the game with 13 saves. At the other end, St. Scholastica goaltender Lindsey Hartfiel was much busier. She made 28 saves in the losing effort.

It was a clean game overall, with just three penalties called. The Yellowjackets took two for four minutes, while St. Scholastica took one for two minutes. The Saints were 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Yellowjackets went scoreless in their one chance.

The Yellowjackets (13-5-0, 3-3-0 WIAC) will now get the aforementioned break, as they are off until Friday, January 23 when they travel to the Hobbs Ice Center in Eau Claire for a date with the Blugolds. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. It will be the third meeting of the season between the two teams. The Yellowjackets swept a home-and-home series from UW-Eau Claire earlier in the season by scores of 5-3 and 4-2.
 
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Players Mentioned

Kiara De Kezel

#18 Kiara De Kezel

F
5' 7"
Senior
Kim Kobar

#33 Kim Kobar

G
5' 6"
Sophomore
Dani Schultz

#6 Dani Schultz

F
5' 4"
Senior
Emily Heid

#8 Emily Heid

D
5' 4"
Freshman
Saige Patrick

#17 Saige Patrick

D
5' 7"
Freshman
Leah Elledge

#3 Leah Elledge

F
5' 11"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Kiara De Kezel

#18 Kiara De Kezel

5' 7"
Senior
F
Kim Kobar

#33 Kim Kobar

5' 6"
Sophomore
G
Dani Schultz

#6 Dani Schultz

5' 4"
Senior
F
Emily Heid

#8 Emily Heid

5' 4"
Freshman
D
Saige Patrick

#17 Saige Patrick

5' 7"
Freshman
D
Leah Elledge

#3 Leah Elledge

5' 11"
Sophomore
F