Yellowjackets 3, River Falls 1
RIVER FALLS, Wis: In recent times, the Yellowjacket men's hockey team has had games where they've had a chance to make a statement, to get things done, to take a step. Whether it be moving up the standings in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference or just reaching the .500 mark, when those chances have arrived the 'Jackets haven't always taken advantage and instead stubbed their collective toes.
Thursday presented another of those opportunities as the Yellowjackets took on UW-River Falls. The Yellowjackets and Falcons entered the game tied for third place in the WIAC standings. The winner of Thursday's game would lock in third place in the conference and in the process earn a bye to the WIAC semifinals, while the losing team would be relegated to taking on UW-Stout in the tournament's first round.
And this time around, the Yellowjackets didn't stub their toes.
The 'Jackets scored once in the first period and twice in the second on the way to a 3-1 win over the Falcons at W.H. Hunt Arena. With the win the Yellowjackets are assured the third seed in the conference tournament and will play at UW-Eau Claire or UW-Stevens Point in the WIAC semifinals in two weeks. Meanwhile River Falls will meet UW-Stout in the first round at a site to be determined. The two teams play Saturday night in a game that could determine home ice advantage in the first round.
It took a while for the Yellowjackets to get to River Falls Thursday, as Mother Nature and Old Man Winter partnered to make for treacherous travel. Once they reached River Falls, however, the 'Jackets played one of their best games of the year.
They opened the scoring at 10:44 of the first period when
Troy York (Plano, Texas/West) tried to bank the puck in off goaltender Joe Marcouiller from behind the net. York's attempt didn't work, but the carom landed in the goal crease and
Chad Lopez (Arlington, Texas/University of Texas at Arlington) was there to poke the loose puck home to put the Yellowjackets ahead 1-0. The goal ended a long drought for Lopez, who hadn't scored a goal in 11 games. Senior
Daniel Litchke (Superior, Wis./Superior) also picked up an assist on Lopez's seventh goal of the year.
With the Yellowjackets on a power play late in the period, River Falls sent the puck all the way down. A miscommunication saw the Yellowjackets turn the puck over behind their net and Charlie Singerhouse grabbed it and wrapped it around the post before
Oscar Svensson (Södertälje, Sweden/Haga Gymnasium) could get back in the net, and the shorthanded goal tied the game at 1-1 with under three seconds to play in the first period.
The Yellowjackets would regain the lead at 6:33 of the second period when York got a rebound off a
Bruno Birzitis (Riga, Latvia/Riga Distance Education Secondary) blast and from the right circle put a shot past a sprawling Marcouiller to put the 'Jackets up 2-1. For York it was his team-leading 12th goal of the season. It would eventually become the game winning goal, York's fourth of the year. Lopez also picked up an assist.
Just 1:11 later the Yellowjackets increased the lead when
Andrew Durham (Richardson, Texas/Plano East), who hadn't scored in 13 games, got a rebound in the goal crease and pushed it past Marcouiller to give the Yellowjackets some breathing room and a 3-1 lead.
Up two in the third period the Yellowjackets were forced to weather the storm, as River Falls outshot the Yellowjackets 16-6, but everything they threw at the net was turned away by Svensson. The Yellowjacket penalty kill also came up big, killing off two River Falls' power plays in the period and four in the game to help earn the win.
Svensson turned in another outstanding performance, making 36 saves to improve his record to 4-3-1 on the year.
River Falls outshot the Yellowjackets 37-22 in the game.
