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University of Wisconsin-Superior Athletics

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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Daniel Litchke
Jade Jensen

Men's Hockey

Yellowjackets Score 5 Unanswered Goals, Topple River Falls

Daniel Litchke had a goal and an assist Friday against UW-River Falls.
Box Score

Yellowjackets 5, River Falls 2

Heading into Friday's game, the UW-River Falls Falcons had allowed just 37 goals. In 21 games, that gave them a goals against average of just 1.76 per game. Meanwhile the Yellowjackets entered the night playing arguably their best hockey of the season, putting six goals on the board in two of the last three games.

Something had to give, and fortunately for the Yellowjackets the give came on the side of the Falcons Friday night.

River Falls jumped out to a 2-0 second-period lead but the Yellowjackets rallied, scoring five unanswered goals on the way to a 5-2 win over the Falcons at W.H. Hunt Arena in River Falls.

With the win, the Yellowjackets not only upset the No.10-ranked team in the nation, but earned their first win of the year over a nationally-ranked opponent. More importantly, the victory jumped the Yellowjackets over UW-Stout and into fourth place in the WIAC.

River Falls got a power play early in the first period but they were unable to convert despite four shots on goal. Following the penalty kill the Yellowjackets began to apply pressure and got stronger as the first period went on, outshooting the Falcons 14-7 in the frame, but the teams went to the locker room scoreless.

The second period was all Falcons, as they took the territorial advantage from the Yellowjackets and badly outshooting them in the process. They drew first blood when a neutral zone turnover by the Yellowjackets resulted in a two-on-one and Zach Schrotenboer wristed a shot over the glove of Yellowjacket goaltender Bryce Fink (Tacoma, Wash./Keystone) to make it a 1-0 game at 6:40. Less than two minutes later Christian George banked a shot from a bad angle off traffic in front and past Fink and just like that it was a 2-0 River Falls lead.

With the stingy defense the Falcons displayed heading into the game, it didn't look good for the Yellowjackets to mount a rally and earn the win. However, they did get a couple of breaks and they took advantage, giving them the opening to climb back into the game.

The first break came late in the second period when an errant clearing pass was intercepted in the high slot by Reed Murray (Calgary, Alberta/Centennial). Murray then fed a pass to Jimmy Hughes (Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial) and his shot beat River Falls goaltender Tanner Milliron on the stick side to draw the Yellowjackets to within one at 14:59 of the second period.

The Yellowjackets were given a power play late in the period, but the Falcons kept them off the board and the second period came to a close with the Yellowjackets down a goal but with 11 seconds of power play time carrying over into the third period.

River Falls killed off the remaining time to start the third period and then went on a power play of its own, but that's when the Yellowjackets got their second break. While shorthanded the Yellowjackets cleared their zone and rush developed with Anton Svensson (Sodertalje, Sweden/Igelstavikens Gymnasium) carrying down the left wing. Svensson held the puck into the River Falls zone and then fed a pass into the slot to Daniel Litchke (Superior, Wis./Superior) who lifted a shot over the glove of Milliron, giving him his second shorthanded goal in as many games and drawing the Yellowjackets even just 1:50 into the third period.

The Yellowjackets took the lead at 4:47 of the third when Beau Browning (Queen Creek, Ariz./Chandler) started and finished a play to make it 3-2. Browning got the puck in the Yellowjacket zone and moved it to Eric Shand (San Dimas, Calif./San Dimas) at center ice. Browning followed the play into River Falls territory and picked up a rebound and batted it home for his first collegiate goal.

Less than two minutes later the Yellowjackets got some insurance when Viktor Sallhag (Vasteras, Sweden) took a pass in the left circle and wired a wrist shot over the glove of Milliron to make it 4-2. The goal was Sallhag's fourth of the year. Litchke and Shand assisted on the goal at 6:40 of the third.

With less than two minutes left River Falls pulled Milliron for the extra attacker. Shand nearly sealed the win with a shot at the empty net from almost 200 feet way, but the puck went off the goal post and icing was called. Seconds later the Yellowjackets did secure the victory when Jordan Neduzak (Morden, Manitoba/Morden Collegiate Institute) scored his eighth of the year into the empty net with 30 seconds left in regulation, to make the final score 5-2.

Three Yellowjackets, Svensson, Shand, and Litchke all had two-point games to pace the Yellowjacket offense.

On the defensive side Fink, making his first start since December 4, earned his second win of the year with a 24-save performance. His record now stands at 2-4-2. At the other end Milliron took the loss, making 23 saves in the process.

It was a clean game Friday, with each team taking just two penalties for four minutes. Each team was 0-for-2 on the power play.

Things don't get any easier for the Yellowjackets (8-12-2, 2-3-0 WIAC), as they host UW-Stevens Point Saturday. The Pointers come into Wessman Arena as the No. 6 team in the country and having upset the nation's top team, Adrian, at home Friday. Game time from Wessman Arena is set for 7:05 p.m. The game can be heard live on 91.3 FM in Superior beginning with the pre-game show at 6:45 p.m. If you are outside the local listening area you can tune in online through UW-Superior's exclusive streaming provider, the iFan Sports Network. Jon Garver will have the call.
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Players Mentioned

Bryce Fink

#1 Bryce Fink

G
5' 8"
Sophomore
Jimmy Hughes

#24 Jimmy Hughes

F
5' 8"
Junior
Jordan Neduzak

#9 Jordan Neduzak

F
5' 11"
Junior
Eric Shand

#5 Eric Shand

D
6' 1"
Junior
Anton Svensson

#11 Anton Svensson

F
5' 8"
Junior
Daniel Litchke

#10 Daniel Litchke

F
5' 9"
Freshman
Beau Browning

#16 Beau Browning

D
5' 10"
Freshman
Viktor Sallhag

#21 Viktor Sallhag

F
6' 0"
Freshman
Reed Murray

#25 Reed Murray

F
5' 10"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Bryce Fink

#1 Bryce Fink

5' 8"
Sophomore
G
Jimmy Hughes

#24 Jimmy Hughes

5' 8"
Junior
F
Jordan Neduzak

#9 Jordan Neduzak

5' 11"
Junior
F
Eric Shand

#5 Eric Shand

6' 1"
Junior
D
Anton Svensson

#11 Anton Svensson

5' 8"
Junior
F
Daniel Litchke

#10 Daniel Litchke

5' 9"
Freshman
F
Beau Browning

#16 Beau Browning

5' 10"
Freshman
D
Viktor Sallhag

#21 Viktor Sallhag

6' 0"
Freshman
F
Reed Murray

#25 Reed Murray

5' 10"
Freshman
F