Yellowjackets 2, Eau Claire 0

EAU CLAIRE, Wis.: The date was January 5, and the Yellowjacket men's hockey team's season was circling the drain. They'd just surrendered six goals in 40 minutes to St. Thomas in what was about to become the team's fourth consecutive loss. As the teams headed to the final period, Yellowjacket Head Coach Rich McKenna made a decision put Oscar Svensson (Södertälje, Sweden/Haga Gymnasium) in goal, and the sophomore stopped all 10 shots he faced in the outing, earning him another shot between the pipes a week later.

That was nine games ago. In that time Svensson has played all but one game, and all he's done is save the Yellowjackets' season.

Since that night at St. Thomas the sophomore goaltender has led the Yellowjackets to a 6-2-1 mark and a pair of three-game winning streaks. His goals against average sits at 1.19 and his save percentage is an astounding .968. His finest performance, however, was likely his most recent. Svensson made 51 saves Friday night, including a handful of just plain spectacular stops and in the process earned his first collegiate shutout as the Yellowjackets defeated UW-Eau Claire 2-0 at the Hobbs Ice Center.

With the win the Yellowjackets grabbed a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three WIAC Semifinal series. Saturday night the Yellowjackets need a win or a tie to advance to the conference championship game March 2.

The teams played back-and-forth hockey in a free-flowing first period. It was scoreless and in the final minutes of the period tempers began to flare, setting the tone for rest of the game. With less than two minutes to play Yellowjacket Jordan Martin (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Vincent Massey Collegiate) was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for facemasking Eau Claire's Logan Von Ruden. Coincidentally, Von Ruden has handed a major for contact to the head and a game misconduct. The offsetting penalties sent both players to an early shower, but the lesser sentences assured both would be available to their clubs in the series' second game.

Also during the altercation Adam Parsells of Eau Claire and Troy MacTavish (Kanata, Ontario/Earl of March) of the Yellowjackets got heated, and both were given 10-minute misconducts.

The Yellowjackets also had a power play from the exchange that carried over into the second period, but they were unable to capitalize.

Eau Claire pressured hard in the second, and put 25 shots on goal, and time and again Svensson was there. His biggest stop of the game came midway through the period. Trapped out of the goal, Svensson scrambled back into the crease and dove to his right, and while at full extension thrust his blocker into the air to deny Kyle Froese a goal and keep the game scoreless.

Late in the period the Yellowjackets received another power play, and this time the much-maligned unit got the job done. Will Blake (Champlin, Minn./Breck) took a pass in the left circle and redirected the puck to MacTavish, and the freshman swept the puck past goaltender Zach Dyment to give the 'Jackets a 1-0 lead with 2:39 to go in the second.

Like two Friday's ago when the teams met at Wessman Arena, Eau Claire pushed back in the third, putting shot after shot to the Yellowjacket goal, and if it was on net Svensson made the stop. With time winding down in the period and the 'Jackets clinging to the 1-0 lead, the hometown boy gave the 'Jackets some breathing room. Daniel Litchke (Superior, Wis./Superior) stole the puck from an Eau Claire defenseman and went in alone on Dyment. The senior faked forehand and pulled the puck to his backhand, lifting it over the Eau Claire goaltender to stretch the Yellowjacket lead to 2-0 with just 1:17 to play.

That would be enough to get the Yellowjackets the win and the all-important series lead.

Each team took six penalties for 20 minutes in the game. The Yellowjackets won the special teams battle, scoring once in four power play chances and killing off all four Eau Claire power plays.

Eau Claire's Nathan Dingmann led all players in the game with nine shots on goal.