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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Ethan Wood
Jade Jensen

Men's Hockey

Wood, Yellowjackets Down Gusties

Ethan Wood earned his second win as a Yellowjacket Friday.
Box Score

Yellowjackets 2, Gustavus 1

The one-goal game. It has been the bane of the Yellowjacket existence in 2015-16. Four times this season the Yellowjackets lost a one-goal game. Three other times they were down by a goal late and allowed an empty-net goal. To put it plainly, the Yellowjackets have had rotten luck in tight games.

Friday night they finally had one go their way.

Owen Stauber (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown) scored early in the third period to break a 1-1 deadlock, and goaltender Ethan Wood (Jasper, Alberta/Paul Kane) and the team defense made it stand up as the Yellowjackets won on the road, 2-1 over Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter, Minnesota.

The win was the fifth of the year for the Yellowjackets and snapped a two-game losing streak.

Early on, however, it looked like the Yellowjackets would again come up short.

Gustavus had the first five shots on net and also grabbed the first goal of the game. After winning a faceoff Van Sullivan broke free of the Yellowjacket defense and scored his third goal of the year at 5:40 of the opening period to make it 1-0. Gustavus nearly made it 2-0 a few minutes later as Drew Aspinwall got in behind the Yellowjacket defense, but Wood made a save with the left arm to keep it a one-goal game.

As the first period went on the Yellowjackets began to build momentum, and as the period was winding down tied the game. Following a cycle in the left wing corner Ian Ecklund (Twig, Minn./Proctor) centered to Anton Svensson (Sodertalje, Sweden/Igelstavikens Gymnasium), and the Yellowjacket goal scoring leader made no mistake, blasting a shot over the glove of Gustie goaltender Erik Johnson for his tenth of the season to tie the game. Daniel Litchke (Superior, Wis./Superior) also picked up an assist on the goal at 15:23 of the first period.

Following a scoreless second period, one that saw the teams combine for just 21 shot attempts, the Yellowjackets broke the tie early in the third. And once again it was Ecklund starting the play. This time he centered a pass from below the goal line and Stauber was on the receiving end. His low wrist shot got past Johnson on the glove side, giving the Yellowjackets a 2-1 lead at 3:41 of the period. It was the fourth goal of the year for Stauber.

Both teams opened things up offensively in the frame, but the Yellowjackets weren't able to get the insurance goal they so desparately sought. Meanwhile Gustavus pressed for the equalizer, but they, too, came up empty. Late in the period the Yellowjackets took back-to-back penalties, but the penalty kill did the job, killing off both chances.

Late in the period the Yellowjackets were given a power play, but the Gusties had the best chance to score. With an extra attacker on, they worked the puck in the offensive zone and had a golden opportunity on the doorstep, but Wood went quickly from left-to-right and make the save with his right pad, then smothered the rebound to preserve the lead.

Then with 11 seconds left it looked like the Yellowjackets would get an empty-net goal of their own. Ecklund broke behind the defense and had a breakaway, but the linesman blew the play dead because Svensson was shaken up on the play and couldn't get off the ice. Jordan Neduzak (Morden, Manitoba/Morden Collegiate Institute) then won two back-to-back faceoffs in the final 11 seconds to help the Yellowjackets get the win.

Wood earned his second win of the season, finishing the game with 19 saves. He's now 2-4-0 on the year. At the other end Johnson finished with 24 stops in the losing effort for Gustavus.

Gustavus took five penalties for 10 minutes, while the Yellowjackets took four for eight minutes. Both teams were scoreless on the power play, the Yellowjackets in five chances and the Gusties in four. Power play issues continue to plague the Yellowjackets, who now have one power play goal in their last 33 chances. The power play functioned better Friday, but were unable to snap the offensive drought however.

The Yellowjackets (5-10-2, 0-2-0 WIAC) return to the ice Saturday, January 16 when they take on the Bethel University Royals. Game time from Blaine, Minnesota is set for 7:00 p.m. and the game can be heard live on 91.3 FM beginning with the pre-game show at 6:45 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
Owen Stauber

#22 Owen Stauber

D
6' 0"
Junior
Anton Svensson

#11 Anton Svensson

F
5' 8"
Junior
Daniel Litchke

#10 Daniel Litchke

F
5' 9"
Freshman
Ethan Wood

#35 Ethan Wood

G
6' 1"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ian Ecklund

#4 Ian Ecklund

6' 3"
Sophomore
F
Jordan Neduzak

#9 Jordan Neduzak

5' 11"
Junior
F
Owen Stauber

#22 Owen Stauber

6' 0"
Junior
D
Anton Svensson

#11 Anton Svensson

5' 8"
Junior
F
Daniel Litchke

#10 Daniel Litchke

5' 9"
Freshman
F
Ethan Wood

#35 Ethan Wood

6' 1"
Freshman
G