The University of Wisconsin Superior sent the crowd home happy in the Yellowjackets' season opener as the team rolled to a 9-2 victory over Northland College at Wessman Arena in Superior on Friday night.

Senior Jordan Neduzak (Morden, Man./Morden Collegiate Institute) led the offense for UW-Superior (1-0) as he netted a hat trick in the first two periods, leading the offense past Northland (0-1) in the opener. He was not alone as freshman defenseman Jerry Miettunen (Tuusula, Finland/Makelanrinne Spoerts H.S.) impressed in his debut with two goals and an assist. In all, 11 different Yellowjackets had at least one point in the game.

The action was fast and furious in the opening period with each team getting open looks in the early going. UW-Superior went without a score in the lone powerplay chance of the period, but they quickly began to pour it on once Northland returned to full strength. Senior Anton Svensson (Sodertalje, Sweden/Igelstavikens Gymnasium) got the Yellowjackets on the board first 15:53 into the match-up, corraling a puck in front of the net and burying it off assists by senior Eric Shand (San Dimas, Calif./San Dimas H.S.) and junior Ian Ecklund (Twig, Minn./Proctor H.S.). UWS was not done there in the opening frame as the rookie Miettunen broke through with his first score as a Yellowjacket at the 17:02 mark of the period. He was assisted by sophomores Nik Kosman (Calgary, Alta./Centennial H.S.) and David Kenney (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Tech H.S.). Just 11 seconds later, UW-Superior was on the board again as Neduzak had a breakway look off the ensuing face-off and put the 'Jackets up 3-0 with Shand and Ecklund each credited with his second assist of the day.

Northland switched out its goalie after the opening intermission, but the Yellowjackets did not seem to mind as they peppered freshman Brett Young all the same as sophomore starter A.J. Smith. Miettunen put the Yellowjackets up 4-0 with 10:45 marked off the clock, getting an assist from Svensson and Neduzak. Northland had four chances on the powerplay in the period but scored on one, as sophomore Oscar Larsson cut the lead to 4-1 exactly one minute later. Neduzak gave UWS its four-goal deficit back with 5:19 remaining in the period, this time assisted by Miettunen and freshman Bruno Birzitis (Riga, Latvia/Riga Distance Education Secondary). The Yellowjackets would score two more just 15 seconds apart with sophomore Daniel Litchke (Superior, Wis./Superior H.S.) netting the first of his season, assisted by senior Matt Audette (Thief River Falls, Minn./Lincoln H.S.) and freshman Ethan James (Duchess, Alta./Duchess H.S.). Neduzak's third of the day ended the flurry in the second as he put UWS up 7-1 with 1:07 remaining, assisted by Ecklund and Shand, the third of the day for both skaters.

The two teams traded power play opportunities in the first half of the third period, and the Yellowjackets broke through on their fourth chance of the day when Kozman got his second point of the day, scoring his first goal with the man advantage to extend the Superior lead with 8:21 remaining. Birzitis tacked on a ninth goal for UWS just 1:50 later as Audette collected his second assist of the day. UWS had another chance when Northland put a pair of players in the box at the 14:43 mark of the period, but the LumberJacks successfully killed 1:20 of the 5-on-3 and then rolled that momentum to their second goal of the day as sophomore Chris Morgan ripped a slap shot from the point.

The Yellowjackets out-shot Northland 29-23 on the day. Junior Ethan Wood (Jasper, Alberta/Paul Kane H.S.) made 21 stops for UW-Superior while the tandem of Smith and Young combined for 20 stops for the 'Jacks. The 'Jackets were 2-for-7 on the power play while Northland was 1-for-5.

UP NEXT
UWS will remain at home Saturday as the team welcomes Finlandia University to Wessman Arena for another non-conference match-up. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m.