UW-Superior 3, Northland 3

ASHLAND, Wis. (November 28, 2017) - Following an emotional, one-goal win over a longtime rival, the Yellowjacket men's hockey team had a quick turnaround, as they faced Northland College in a rare Tuesday night contest. You'll remember that it was Northland who stunned the Yellowjackets at Wessman Arena November 17, scoring in the final minute of overtime to escape with a 3-2 win.

Tuesday night the teams again went to overtime, but this time around there would be no winner.

The Yellowjackets (3-6-1, 0-0-0 WIAC) had a pair of two-goal leads but couldn't hold off the late Northland surge, and the teams skated to a 3-3 at the Bay Area Civic Center.

After a scoreless first period the Yellowjackets wasted little time taking the lead. Just 19 seconds into the frame Daniel Litchke (Superior, Wis./Superior) took a shot that was stopped, but Bruno Birzitis (Riga, Latvia/Riga Distance Education Secondary) followed up and drove home the rebound for his second of the season to give the Yellowjackets a 1-0 lead. Liam Blais (Uxbridge, Ont./Uxbridge Secondary) also assited on the play.

They extended the lead to 2-0 at 12:42 when Alec MacKenzie (Ottawa, Ont./École Secondaire Garneau) broke down the left wing and entered the Northland zone, taking a shot from the left circle that went off a Northland defenseman's stick and in for his second goal of the season. Aidan Salerno (Long Beach, N.Y./Avon Old Farms) and Dylan Nelson (Clearwater, Minn./Annandale) assisted.

Northland cut into the lead with a power play goal 3:46 into the third period to make it 2-1. The Yellowjackets answered at the five-minute mark when Birzitis centered from the left corner to Litchke between the circles, and the junior put a shot past Northland goaltender A.J. Smith to increase the lead to 3-1.

The Lumberjacks would come back and tie it with a pair of goals less than four minutes apart, making it 3-2 at 9:59 and tying the game with a power play goal at 13;27.

In the overtime the Yellowjackets held a 6-1 edge in shots and had a power play opportunity in the final minutes of the period, but they were unable to do what Northland did in the first meeting and scrape out the win on the road.

Cole Skinner (Lunenberg, N.S./Parkview Education Centre) got the start in goal for the third straight game and finished the night with 35 saves, including 15 in the third period. His record on the year is now 3-2-1.

Each team took eight penalties for 16 minutes in the game. The Yellowjackets went 0-for-7 on the power play and killed off 5-lf-7 shorthanded chances.

Up Next: The Yellowjackets will open up WIAC play at UW-Stout Friday, December 1. Game time from the Fannetti Community Center in Menomonie, Wisconsin is set for 7:00 p.m.