St. Scholastica 2, Yellowjackets 1
 
SUPERIOR, Wis.: Tuesday night was the final home game for the Yellowjacket women's hockey team, and they were looking to go out on a winning note and in the process split the season series against Twin Ports rival St. Scholastica.
 
And when the teams were playing at even strength, the Yellowjackets carried the play. The hard part for them was keeping the game at even strength.
 
The Yellowjackets were shorthanded seven times on the night, and that was just enough for the Saints, as they were able to move ahead early and hold on for a 2-1 win at Wessman Arena Tuesday night.
 
With the loss, the Yellowjackets fall to 7-16-1 on the year. They have one game remaining in the regular season, a crucial WIAC contest at UW-Stevens Point Friday.
 
The Yellowjackets were down a skater four times in the opening period. They killed off the first two, but the third power play came late in the frame and the Saints took advantage and grabbed the lead. With 3:44 left to play Giorgia Battisti deflected a shot past Yellowjacket goaltender Catherine Johnson (Lakeville, Minn./St. Paul Academy) for her second goal of the season to make it 1-0. Just over two minutes later, it went to 2-0 when Amber Tillander got behind the Yellowjacket defense and faked to the forehand before pulling to the backhand, sliding it past Johnson for her ninth goal of the year.
 
Another penalty in the final minute of the first period meant the Yellowjackets would be shorthanded for the first 1:39 of the second period, but the penalty-killing unit came through in fine style, and the Yellowjackets took off from there. Momentum carried the Yellowjackets in the second, as they began to put shots on goal from all angles and held an edge of 15-8 in the period. They were also able to stay out of the penalty box, taking just one penalty. Fortunately, St. Scholastica also took a penalty on the play, and while the teams were 4-on-4, the Yellowjackets broke through.
 
Amber Heidenreich (Phillips, Wis./Hayward) got the puck behind the Saints' goal and centered to a wide open Kaleigh Martinson (Dayton, Minn./Champlin Park) and the team's leading goal scorer made no mistake, ripping a shot past St. Scholastica goaltender Lexi Thomeczek at 14:36 to pull the Yellowjackets to within one at 2-1. Martinson was an offensive force in the game for the Yellowjackets, putting nine shots on goal, and this one resulted in her 14th goal of the season.
 
In the third period, the Yellowjackets were shorthanded three more times, and the penalty kill again came through, especially late when Martinson went off with just 3:51 to play. Using the kill to build more momentum, the Yellowjackets applied their best pressure of the final frame as time ticked away.
 
In the final minute, they had a glorious chance to tie the game. With the extra attacker on, Megan Dulong (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) carried the puck into the St. Scholastica zone, and from the right wing centered to Molly Shelton (Pine Island, Minn./Pine Island) who was flying down the slot. Shelton was in prime position to tie the game, but the St. Scholastica defense was up to the task and turned it away. It was the last gasp for the Yellowjackets, as the Saints held on to pick up the win.
 
All told, the Yellowjackets killed off 6-of-7 Saints power plays, while conversely going 0-for-2 themselves.
 
Johnson finished the game with 27 saves for the Yellowjackets. The Yellowjackets outshot St. Scholastica 30-29 for the game.