The University of Wisconsin Superior will need to force a decisive mini-game three Saturday if it hopes to advance in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Commissioner's Cup Tournament after the Yellowjackets fell 4-3 against the University of Wisconsin Stout in the teams' first round series opener on Friday night in Menomonie, Wisconsin.

UW-Superior (7-17-2) got off to an early 2-0 lead, with seniors Owen Stauber (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown H.S.) and Anton Svensson (Sodertalje, Sweden/Igelstavikens Gymnasium) putting the Yellowjackets up before the nine-minute mark of the opening frame. Stauber scored just 2:47 into the match-up, getting assists from Svensson and junior Ian Ecklund (Twig, Minn./Proctor H.S.), who finished with a helper on each of UW-Superior's three scores on the day. Svensson scored at 8:54 of the first, also assisted by sophomore Yves Leeman. UW-Stout (12-12-2) got on the board before the period was out, with Karl Andersen trimming the deficit to one at 12:38 of the first. The Blue Devils came out of the locker room firing in the second period, as Alex Toscano knotted the game at 2-2 just 1:41 into the frame. Svensson added his second of the day, assisted by Ecklund and senior Jordan Neduzak (Morden, Man./Morden Collegiate Institute) at 11:01 of the second, but the lead was short lived as Stout made quick work on a powerplay opportunity with Adam Kresl scoring to once again draw even at 16:44 of the third.

The Blue Devils would go ahead early in the third, as Gavin Smith scored at 3:36 of the final frame. The Yellowjackets pulled goaltender Kyle Miller (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake H.S.) for the final 46 seconds, but could not account for the equalizer. Svensson led the way with nine shots for UWS, while Neduzak had five shots on goal as well. Miller made 29 saves in defeat, while Spencer Viele had 25 stops for UW-Stout. The Yellowjackets were 0-for-2 on the powerplay while the Blue Devils finished 1-for-2.

UP NEXT
UW-Superior will look to keep its season alive in game two of the series and force the mini-game immediately following Saturday's contest. The puck will drop between the Yellowjackets and Blue Devils at 7:30 p.m. in Menomonie.