EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – It's been a good start to the season for Yellowjacket Head Coach
Dan Laughlin and the women's hockey team. After jumping out to the first 3-0-0 start since 2013, the Yellowjackets suffered their first loss a week ago at home against Hamline.
After more than a week off, the Yellowjackets returned to the ice Saturday and opened the conference season against UW-Eau Claire. The Yellowjackets hold the edge in the all-time series with the Blugolds, but Eau Claire, which entered the day 5-0-0, has been on a winning streak in the series of late.
Eau Claire scored three times before the game reached the midway point and kept its winning streak against the Yellowjackets intact with a 3-1 win at the Hobbs Ice Center Saturday afternoon.
The Yellowjackets (3-2-0, 0-1-0 WIAC) got off to a slow start Saturday, getting outshot 10-4 in the opening period and falling behind 1-0 when Hanna Zavoral scored a power play goal for Eau Claire at 10:03 of the first period.
Eau Claire increased its lead at 4:45 of the second period, and again it was Zavoral doing the damage, this time scoring shorthanded to make it 2-0. Then, at 9:04 of the second Zavoral completed the hat trick, scoring at even strength to give the Blugolds a 3-0 lead.
The Yellowjackets were finally able to break through at 15:22 of the second period when freshman
Cora Coz (Elk River, Minn./Elk River) scored her first collegiate goal, getting a marker unassisted to pull the Yellowjackets to within 3-1.
In the third period Eau Claire again put 10 shots on goal, and Yellowjacket goaltender
McKenzie Whalen (East Grand Forks, Minn./East Grand Forks) stopped all of them, giving her team a chance to draw back to even, but the Blugold defense shut the 'Jackets down. With no scoring in the third, Eau Claire held on for the win.
Shots in the game favored Eau Claire 31-13. Whalen finished the game with 28 stops and saw her record on the year fall to 2-2-0 on the year.
The Yellowjackets are back in action Friday, Nov. 19 when they travel to take on Northland College. The opening faceoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Bay Area Civic Center in Ashland.
