UW-Superior 2, Stevens Point 2 (OT)

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (December 2, 2017) - Tight games have become a way of life for the Yellowjacket men's hockey team. In 2017-18, all but one game has been decided by two goals or less. More recently, games have been determined by an even tighter margin. In fact, the last seven games have been decided by one goal or less.

Saturday night the Yellowjackets again scored the first goal of the game and built a 2-0 lead, coming within one minute of upsetting the No. 10-ranked team in the nation. But UW-Stevens Point had other ideas. With just 47.2 seconds left in the third period the Pointers rallied and scored the equalizer, forcing the Yellowjackets to settle for a tie for the second time this week, as the teams skated to a 2-2 draw at K.B. Willett Arena in Stevens Point.

The Yellowjackets drew first blood at 14:16 of the first period when Daniel Litchke (Superior, Wis./Superior) picked up a rebound and between the circles and scored his fifth goal of the season to make it 1-0. Liam Blais (Uxbridge, Ont./Uxbridge Secondary) and Lukas Denk (Brno, Czech Republic/Gymnazium Globe) assisted on the goal.

Early in the second period the Yellowjackets had the chance to blow the game open when Baxter Kanter of Stevens Point was assessed a five-minute major for checking from behind. The power play has struggled of late for the Yellowjackets, and the extended man advantage didn't allow the unit to break out of the slump, sending the opportunity by the boards.

Before the period was over the Yellowjackets did increase the lead. Ian Ecklund (Twig, Minn./Proctor) took a pass inside the Stevens Point blue line and took a shot from the hash marks that beat the Pointer goaltender high on the glove side for his team-leading sixth goal of the year at 11:51. Tanner Skaja (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Tech) and Pavel Mikhasenok (Yekaterinburg, Russia/Everest Academy) assisted on the goal that put the Yellowjackets ahead 2-0.

Stevens Point got on the board at 16:04 of the second when Colin Raver converted on a power play, and it was 2-1 after 40 minutes.

In the third the Pointers continued to press, and each time the Yellowjacket defense was up to the challenge. With time running short the Pointers pulled their goaltender, and their top scorer came through. Tanner Karty got a loose puck in the right circle and with a mad scramble going on in front, flipped the puck past Yellowjacket starter Cole Skinner (Lunenberg, N.S./Parkview Education Centre) to even the score in the final minute.

With seven seconds remaining, the Yellowjackets drew a penalty and started the overtime on the power play, but again they were unable to convert and each team settled for one point in the conference standings.

Skinner was strong again in goal for the Yellowjackets, finishing the night with 31 saves. At the other end Max Milosek made 19 saves for the Pointers.

Up Next: The Yellowjackets (3-7-2, 0-1-1 WIAC) will play their final game before the semester break when they host Finlandia at Wessman Arena for the second time this season. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. It is Ugly Sweater Night, and fans are encouraged to wear their ugly sweaters to the game. The Yellowjackets will be wearing their limited-edition ugly sweater jerseys that will be sold after the game. Yellowjacket Athletics will also be collecting toys at the games this week and making a donation to the Superior Fire Department for their annual Toys for Tots drive.