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University of Wisconsin-Superior Athletics

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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Anton Svensson
Jade Jensen

Men's Hockey

Third Period Goals Lift Yellowjackets In Opener

Anton Svensson scored the game winning goal Friday at Northland.
Box Score

Yellowjackets 3, Northland 1

The long off-season came to an end for the Yellowjacket men's hockey team, as they hit the ice for the first time in 2015-16, taking on Northland College at the Bay Area Civic Center in Ashland.

The Yellowjackets entered the contest owning a 9-2 record all time against the Lumberjacks, but make no mistake, the 2015-16 version could arguably be the best team Northland has had in the last several decades. And Friday they gave the Yellowjackets everything they could handle.

Tied after two periods, the Yellowjackets scored twice early in the third period and protected the lead, earning a season-opening 3-1 victory.

The first period was all Yellowjackets, as they dominated play, outshooting the Lumberjacks 23-6 in the frame, but found the going tough against Northland goaltender A.J. Smith. That changed when Owen Stauber (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown) teed off from just inside the blue line, beating Smith high on the glove side to give the Yellowjackets a 1-0 lead at 15:07 of the first. Freshmen Viktor Sallhag (Vasteras, Sweden) and Nik Kosman (Calgary, Alberta/Centennial) assisted on the power play marker.

Northland flipped the script in the second period, owning the territorial advantage and outshooting the Yellowjackets 15-8. They tied the game with a power play goal of their own at 12:04 when Kyle Kuntz put a one-timer from the right side past Yellowjacket goaltender Cory Simons (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge).

The Yellowjackets scored the eventual game winning goal in the opening minute of the third period. After nearly scoring earlier in the shift, Anton Svensson (Sodertalje, Sweden/Igelstavikens Gymnasium) picked up a rebound to the left of the Northland goal and slid it past an out-of-position Smith to put the Yellowjackets ahead 2-1. The goal punctuated a dominant shift for the Yellowjacket line of Svensson, Ian Ecklund (Twig, Minn./Proctor), and Daniel Litchke (Superior, Wis./Superior).

Less than five minutes later the Yellowjackets struck again. This time it was Jordan Neduzak (Morden, Manitoba/Morden Collegiate Institute), who took the puck from his forehand to the backhand, faking out Smith in the process and sliding it into an open net to make it 3-1. Sallhag set up the play with a perfect pass across the slot to pick up his second assist of the game. Dylan Nelson (Clearwater, Minn./Annandale) also picked up an assist on the play.

The Yellowjackets continued to apply pressure for most of the third period, but were unable to stretch the lead further. Northland had its best chances late in the period while on the power play, but Simons and the Yellowjacket defense kept them off the board.

Simons got the win for the Yellowjackets, stopping 26-of-27 shots in the game to move to 1-0-0 on the year. At the other end Smith was busier, finishing the game with 40 saves.

The Yellowjackets took seven penalties for 14 minutes while Northland took six penalties for 12 minutes. The Yellowjackets were 1-for-4 on the power play and killed off 4-of-5 shorthanded chances.

The Yellowjackets (1-0-0, 0-0-0 WIAC) will be in Hancock, Michigan Saturday to take on Finlandia University. Game time is 3:00 p.m. Central time. The broadcast of the game will be on delay and will air on 91.3 FM beginning at 7:00 p.m. Jon Garver will have the call.
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Players Mentioned

Ian Ecklund

#4 Ian Ecklund

F
6' 3"
Sophomore
Jordan Neduzak

#9 Jordan Neduzak

F
5' 11"
Junior
Dylan Nelson

#18 Dylan Nelson

D
5' 11"
Sophomore
Cory Simons

#30 Cory Simons

G
5' 10"
Junior
Owen Stauber

#22 Owen Stauber

D
6' 0"
Junior
Anton Svensson

#11 Anton Svensson

F
5' 8"
Junior
Nik Kosman

#6 Nik Kosman

D
5' 11"
Freshman
Daniel Litchke

#10 Daniel Litchke

F
5' 9"
Freshman
Viktor Sallhag

#21 Viktor Sallhag

F
6' 0"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ian Ecklund

#4 Ian Ecklund

6' 3"
Sophomore
F
Jordan Neduzak

#9 Jordan Neduzak

5' 11"
Junior
F
Dylan Nelson

#18 Dylan Nelson

5' 11"
Sophomore
D
Cory Simons

#30 Cory Simons

5' 10"
Junior
G
Owen Stauber

#22 Owen Stauber

6' 0"
Junior
D
Anton Svensson

#11 Anton Svensson

5' 8"
Junior
F
Nik Kosman

#6 Nik Kosman

5' 11"
Freshman
D
Daniel Litchke

#10 Daniel Litchke

5' 9"
Freshman
F
Viktor Sallhag

#21 Viktor Sallhag

6' 0"
Freshman
F