SUPERIOR, Wis.: The contest Saturday night at Wessman Arena marked the first-ever meeting between the Yellowjacket men's hockey program and Tufts University. The Jumbos, who hail from Medford, Massachusetts, made the trip west to compete in the Third Annual Superior Showdown, sponsored by Subway. The winner would advance to the tournament's title game against a Marian University team that advanced by way of a 5-2 win over Bethel earlier in the afternoon.

It didn't come easy, but in the end the Yellowjackets did what needed to be done to earn a 2-1 win and give them a rematch with Marian, the team they faced in the inaugural championship game in 2017.

Early on it looked like things might indeed come easy, as the Yellowjackets jumped out of the gates, outshooting the Jumbos 14-4 in the opening period and scoring twice to take the early lead.

Just 2:44 into the game Andrew Durham (Richardson, Texas/Plano East) gave the Yellowjackets a lead they would never give up, wiring a wrist shot from the right circle over the shoulder of Tufts goaltender Drew Hotte to make it 1-0. The power play marker was the team-leading eighth of the year for Durham. Jonny Pace (Hamilton, Ontario/Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School) assisted on the goal.

As the period reached the midway point the Yellowjackets built a two-goal lead. Troy York (Plano, Texas/West) walked out the left wing corner, and when he got to the circle had the puck go up on edge. That didn't seem to bother the junior sniper, who ripped a shot over Hotte's shoulder for his sixth goal of the year at 10:39. The eventual game-winning goal was set up by Coltyn Bates (Brandon, Manitoba/Vincent Massey Collegiate) and Liam Blais (Uxbridge, Ontario/Uxbridge Secondary).

Tufts got on the board at 5:46 of the second period, capitalizing on a power play of their own. Trevor Spence took a shot from the blue line that pinballed off multiple bodies in the slot before caroming off Nick Schultze who was standing off the left post to make it 2-1.

As the period wore on the Yellowjackets had chances. York hit a crossbar, while Chad Lopez (Arlington, Texas/University of Texas), Blais, and Bruno Birzities were all stopped by Hotte from point blank range.

Tufts came out hard in the third period, but every opportunity was turned away by Oscar Svensson (Södertälje, Sweden/Haga Gymnasium). The junior goaltender earned his seventh win of the year with a 21-save performance. At the other end Hotte made 35 stops for Tufts.

Sunday is the second day of the 2019 Superior Showdown, sponsored by Subway. Bethel and Tufts will faceoff in the consolation game at 3:00 p.m., followed by the Yellowjackets and Marian in the title game at 7:05 p.m. Marian has appeared in the championship game of all three Superior Showdowns, defeating the Yellowjackets 6-1 in 2017 and losing to Trinity 4-1 a year ago.