Stout Blanks Yellowjackets

Zach Thompson made 25 saves in the losing effort at Stout Friday.

Box Score

Stout 2, Yellowjackets 0

Friday night the stretch drive began for the Yellowjacket men's hockey team. Ten games remained in the 2014-15 season, and all ten of them would count in conference play. The first test came on the road, where the Yellowjackets would take on UW-Stout at Dunn County Arena. Dunn County, and uninviting facility for all, has been a particularly difficult building for the Yellowjackets over the years, and Friday night was no exception.

The two teams entered the game as the only two WIAC clubs without a point in the standings, and when all was said and done the Yellowjackets left the building the lone team in the conference standings still looking for a point.

Despite outshooting the Blue Devils 37-27 in the game, the Yellowjackets came up short, falling 2-0 before a sparse crowd in Menomonie.

The loss puts the Yellowjackets two games under .500 for the year and has them looking up at everyone in the WIAC standings with nine games to play. A rally at this point is not impossible, but Yellowjackets definitely have some work to do over the final month of the season.

After a scoreless first period, one that saw the Yellowjackets outshoot UW-Stout 9-4, the Blue Devils drew first blood early in the second. A shot from the blue line was stopped by Yellowjacket goaltender Zach Thompson (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld), but the rebound sat at the foot of the goal crease and Justin Moody poked it home for his seventh of the year, giving the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead at 6:10 of the period.

It stayed that way until the 6:54 of the third when the lead bulged to 2-0. With a lot of traffic in front of Thompson, Derek Sand took a wrist shot from the high slot that eluded the sophomore goaltender, giving him his first goal of the year and the Blue Devils an insurmountable lead.

The Yellowjackets pressed and created opportunities throughout the night, but time and again Stout goaltender Chase Hollander was there. The sophomore entered the game with a goals against average hovering near 7.00 and a save percentage below .850, but on this night he was solid when called upon and rarely gave the Yellowjackets any second chance opportunities. He finished the night with 37 saves to earn his first win of the season.

At the other end Thompson took the loss in the game, finishing the night with 25 saves. He is now 2-3-0 on the year.

Each team took four penalties in the game, and each team was scoreless on the power play in two chances.

The Yellowjackets (7-9-0, 0-3-0 WIAC) and the Blue Devils will meet again Saturday night. Game time from Wessman Arena is set for 7:05 p.m. and can be heard live on 91.3 FM in Superior, beginning with the pre-game show after the delayed broadcast of Yellowjacket women's basketball. If you are outside the local listening area you can tune in online through the iFan Sports Network. Jon Garver will have the call.

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Players Mentioned

#35 Zach Thompson: G; 5' 11"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#35 Zach Thompson
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: G

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Stout Blanks Yellowjackets

Players Mentioned

#35 Zach Thompson

Players Mentioned

#35 Zach Thompson