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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Haley Olmstead
Jade Jensen

Women's Hockey

Pointers Edge Yellowjackets, Grab Home Ice

Haley Olmstead scored a pair of goals in the Yellowjackets' loss to Stevens Point Saturday.
Box Score

Stevens Point 4, Yellowjackets 3

Following Friday's one-goal road victory over UW-Stevens Point, the Yellowjacket women's hockey team found itself in the position of potentially grabbing home-ice advantage in the first round of the WIAC playoffs next weekend. All that was needed was a win Saturday afternoon. The victory would have pulled the Yellowjackets even in the conference standings, but they would own the tiebreaker over the Pointers, securing second place in the conference standings and putting them at home in the post-season.

In the end, the scenario for home ice in the post-season was just that, a scenario.

Three times Saturday afternoon the Yellowjackets fell behind and came back to tie the game. Shortly after evening the game at 3-3 in the third period, the Pointers grabbed the lead and held on, earning a 4-3 win at Icehawks Arena in Stevens Point, Wis. The same two teams will meet again next weekend, in the same location, in the first round of the WIAC playoffs.

Stevens Point scored early in the game, as Shauna Bollinger scored on a power play at 4:23 of the first period to grab the 1-0 lead.

The Yellowjackets answered at 10:17 when Haley Olmstead (Fargo, N.D./Fargo North) scored her 11th goal of the season on an assist from Lynne Larson (Blumenort, Manitoba) to make it a 1-1 game.

Less than a minute later the Pointers broke the tie. Hannah Smith scored just 50 seconds later and it was 2-1 Pointers.

Things stayed that way until the Yellowjackets capitalized on the power play in the closing minutes of the second period. Karen Larson (Blumenort, Manitoba/Steinbach Regional Secondary) made a pass from the right wing into the high slot to Dani Schultz (Morris, Minn./Morris Area). The Yellowjacket captain worked her way around the Pointer defense and from the left circle snapped a shot low past goaltender Janna Beilke-Skoug to tie the game 2-2. The point for both Schultz and Larson was the 23rd of the season, tying them for the team lead.

The Yellowjackets went shorthanded shortly after getting the equalizer, and had a golden opportunity to grab the lead for the first time in the game. A clearing play found Olmstead alone in the neutral zone and she went in on the breakaway, but never got a shot away because she was taken down on the play, and ultimately awarded a penalty shot. Olmstead came in on the penalty shot, moved left and skated in on Beilke-Skoug, firing a shot that was turned away and the game remained tied.

Moments later the Pointers regained the lead. On the power play Betsy Anderson scored, giving the Pointers a 3-2 edge with less than a minute to go in the second period.

The duo of Larson and Olmstead struck again in the third period, helping the Yellowjackets tie the game for the third time on the afternoon. This time Larson got the puck to Olmstead, whose slapshot from the right circle eluded Beilke-Skoug, tying the game 3-3 at 10:11 of the third.

But once again the Pointers wasted little time taking the lead back. This time Emily Lester scoring at 11:30, giving the Pointers the eventual game-winning goal, making it a 4-3 score.

As time wound down the Yellowjackets went on the power play. They pulled goaltender Megan Leikkari (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Westgate CV&I), then drew another penalty, and own a 6-on-3 advantage in the game's final minute. They were unable to find anymore magic and tie the game a fourth time, falling to defeat.

The Pointers outshot the Yellowjackets 30-24 on the day. Leikkari finished the game with 26 saves, while Beilke-Skoug had 21 stops. The Yellowjackets took five penalties for 10 minutes, while the Pointers took four for eight minutes. The Yellowjackets were 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Pointers were 1-for-5.

Before entering WIAC playoff action, the Yellowjackets (15-9, 5-7 WIAC) close out the regular season at home Wednesday, February 18 when they host the College of St. Scholastica. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. at Wessman Arena, and the game can be seen live online through the iFan Sports Network.
 
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Players Mentioned

Karen Larson

#7 Karen Larson

F
5' 6"
Junior
Lynne Larson

#26 Lynne Larson

F
5' 4"
Junior
Megan Leikkari

#30 Megan Leikkari

G
5' 7"
Junior
Haley Olmstead

#9 Haley Olmstead

F
5' 9"
Senior
Dani Schultz

#6 Dani Schultz

F
5' 4"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Karen Larson

#7 Karen Larson

5' 6"
Junior
F
Lynne Larson

#26 Lynne Larson

5' 4"
Junior
F
Megan Leikkari

#30 Megan Leikkari

5' 7"
Junior
G
Haley Olmstead

#9 Haley Olmstead

5' 9"
Senior
F
Dani Schultz

#6 Dani Schultz

5' 4"
Senior
F