Yellowjackets 5, River Falls 0
RIVER FALLS, Wis. (February 2, 2018) - After a tough outing last Saturday against UW-Eau Claire, the Yellowjacket men's hockey team needed a rebound Friday night when they traveled to Hunt Arena in River Falls.
The needed the rebound for a number of reasons.
First, the Yellowjackets needed the two points in the standings. With two points they could, with help, move into third place in the WIAC standings and stay in sight of the top two teams in the conference. A win also would push the Yellowjackets past their win total for all of last season.
Mission accomplished.
Freshman
Troy York (Plano, Texas/Plano West) scored three times and goaltender
Cole Skinner (Lunenberg, N.S./Parkview Education Centre) did the rest as the Yellowjackets rolled to a 5-0 win over the host Falcons.
The win, coupled with a UW-Stevens Point win over UW-Stout meant the Yellowjackets jumped into third place in the WIAC standings, one point ahead of Stout and three points back of UW-Eau Claire. The win also gives the Yellowjackets nine victories on the year, surpassing last year's total and tying the total for both the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.
In addition York's offense and Skinner's goaltending special teams also played a big role in the game. The Yellowjackets (9-11-2, 2-2-1 WIAC) scored twice in three power play chances, and killed off all three power play chances River Falls had.
Early in the game, however, it looked like it was going to be a rough night. The Falcons came out flying, carrying the play early and holding a 7-1 edge in shots on goal as the first period unfolded. The Yellowjackets weathered the storm and once they got their feet under them drew first blood. York netted the eventual game-winning goal at 12:07 of the first, moving between the circles and wristing a shot over the glove of River Falls goaltender Zach Quinn to make it 1-0.
Jason Cohan (Vancouver, B.C./Handsworth Secondary) assisted on the goal, earning his first collegiate point.
Minutes later the Yellowjackets made it 2-0 when
Connor Hamonic (Winnipeg, Man./Vincent Massey Collegiate) intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and skated into River Falls territory. His wrist shot from the right circle fooled Quinn, beating him on the stick side. It was Hamonic's second of the year.
York struck again in the first minute of the second period. While on the power play the Yellowjackets moved the puck with precision until they found an uncovered York between the circles and his one-timer beat Quinn to make it 3-0.
It stayed that way until 13:47 of the third period when York finished off the hat trick, snapping a shot from the right circle past Quinn to make it 4-0. It was the first hat trick of the season for the Yellowjackets. Then with just 2:19 to play the Yellowjackets closed out the scoring. This time it was
Ryan Carlson (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown) scoring, as he let a shot go from the top of the right circle that beat Michael Hughes, who came on in relief of Quinn, to make it 5-0. The goal, which came on the power play, was Carlson's second of the season.
While York was providing the offense Skinner was holding down the fort at the other end of the rink, as he earned his first collegiate shutout with a 36-save performance. The effort marked just the second times in the last 107 games that the Yellowjackets held the opposing team scoreless.
Up Next: The Yellowjackets will host No. 2-ranked UW-Stevens Point Saturday night at Wessman Arena. The opening face-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
