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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Jordan Neduzak

Men's Hockey

Stevens Point Rallies, Beats Yellowjackets

Jordan Neduzak scored twice for the Yellowjackets Saturday.
Box Score

Stevens Point 5, Yellowjackets 3

With a tie game Friday night, the Yellowjackets and UW-Stevens Point knew that whoever won Saturday's game was headed for the WIAC Championship. It was as simple as that. And for more than 55 minutes, it was the Yellowjackets who were tied or playing with the lead, putting themselves in position to post the upset in the WIAC semifinals for the second season in a row. But in the end, it just wasn't meant to be.

Stevens Point scored three times in the final 10 minutes Saturday to rally from a goal down and defeat the Yellowjackets 5-3 at K.B. Willett Arena in Stevens Point. As a result, the Pointers won the series 1-0-1 and advanced to the WIAC Championship, where they will host UW-River Falls a week from Saturday. UW-River Falls advanced by scoring on a penalty shot in sudden death overtime of the mini-game against UW-Eau Claire.

The way Saturday's game started, it's a surprise that the Yellowjackets and Pointers only combined for eight goals. Each team scored twice in the first period, and all four goals could be classified as goals the goaltenders would want back.

Tanner Dion (Hardisty, Alberta/Central Sedgewick) opened the scoring for the Yellowjackets. Taking a step inside the Stevens Point blue line and letting a slap shot go that got between the pads of Stevens Point goaltender Brandon Jaeger. Jaeger squeezed the pads together and got a lot of the shot, but not enough, and the puck got across the goal line to give the Yellowjackets a 1-0 lead 3:13 in. Matt Audette (Thief River Falls, Minn./Lincoln) and Dylan Nelson (Clearwater, Minn./Annandale) assisted on Dion's team-leading 10th goal of the season..

Stevens Point came back to tie the game at 6:21 when a Garrett Ladd shot from high on the right wing beat Yellowjacket goaltender Bryce Fink (Tacoma, Wash./Keystone).

Less than a minute later the Yellowjackets regained the lead on the power play. Jordan Neduzak (Morden, Manitoba/Morden Collegiate Institute) let a hard shot go from the right circle that was kicked away by Jaeger. It was a big rebound heading up the slot that caromed off a defender and back into the goal. It was Neduzak's eighth of the year.

But like they did earlier in the period the Pointers came back and tied it, and again it was a long shot from the right wing. This time it was senior defenseman Kyle Brodie launching a shot from a wide angle that beat Fink high, tying the game 2-2 at 9:08 of the first period.

As the second period unfolded the Pointers controlled the play, owning a significant edge in puck possession, but the Yellowjacket defense did not break and the score remained tied. Then the Pointers took a penalty, and again the Yellowjackets converted on the man advantage.

Eric Shand (San Dimas, Calif./San Dimas) leaned into a shot from the right circle that Jaeger made a spectacular save on, but the rebound came to the left of the goal where Neduzak was stationed, and he buried into the yawning goal and the Yellowjackets moved ahead 3-2. It was the second of the game and ninth of the season for Neduzak. Shand and Anton Svensson (Soldertalje, Sweden/Igelstavikens Gymnasium) assisted.

The third period unfolded the same way as the second, with the Pointers again possession the puck for long stretches in the Yellowjacket zone, but time ticked away and the score stayed at 3-2.

Then midway through the period they scored the equalizer, as Lawrence Cornellier put home a backhand to tie the game at 10:03. A few minutes later they scored the eventual game winner on the power play. Using precise puck movement, the Pointers got the puck in the high slot to Kevin Gibson, and his wrist shot beat Fink low at 15:28 of the third to give Stevens Point its first lead of the game. Stevens Point closed out the scoring at 18:41 of the third when Scott Henegar took a centering pass and beat Fink up high, to make the final score 5-3.

Fink had another good game in goal for the Yellowjackets, finishing the night with 28 saves, some of them of the spectacular variety. His record dropped to 3-7-1 on the year. At the other end Jaeger turned in a workmanlike performance, making 25 saves to get the win.

Each team took three penalties for six minutes in the game. The Yellowjackets were 2-for-3 on the power play, while the Pointers went 1-for-3.
 
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Players Mentioned

Matt Audette

#3 Matt Audette

D
5' 10"
Sophomore
Tanner Dion

#12 Tanner Dion

F
6' 1"
Senior
Jordan Neduzak

#9 Jordan Neduzak

F
5' 11"
Sophomore
Eric Shand

#5 Eric Shand

D
6' 1"
Sophomore
Anton Svensson

#11 Anton Svensson

F
5' 8"
Sophomore
Bryce Fink

#1 Bryce Fink

G
5' 8"
Freshman
Dylan Nelson

#18 Dylan Nelson

D
5' 11"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Matt Audette

#3 Matt Audette

5' 10"
Sophomore
D
Tanner Dion

#12 Tanner Dion

6' 1"
Senior
F
Jordan Neduzak

#9 Jordan Neduzak

5' 11"
Sophomore
F
Eric Shand

#5 Eric Shand

6' 1"
Sophomore
D
Anton Svensson

#11 Anton Svensson

5' 8"
Sophomore
F
Bryce Fink

#1 Bryce Fink

5' 8"
Freshman
G
Dylan Nelson

#18 Dylan Nelson

5' 11"
Freshman
D