STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The 2021 men's hockey season might be short, but in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, it will be business as usual.

Translation – the standings are going to be tight, teams are going to be jockeying for position every night, and the playoff seeding will likely come down to the final games on the final day. What that translation also means is every second of every game is important, and the less time you spend chasing the game and coming from behind the better.
 
The Yellowjacket men's hockey team didn't have to chase the game much in the first three contests of the season, but that changed when they took on UW-Stevens Point Wednesday night in a key road contest.
 
It's been a strange start to the season for the Pointers, as they split their first four games, going 2-2-0, but both of their losses came on home ice. Wednesday they struck early and often, finding the back of the net twice in the first five minutes and then held off the Yellowjacket comeback attempts to take the first game of the home-and-home series 5-3 at K.B. Willett Arena.
 
Despite falling behind early the Yellowjackets (2-2-0, 2-2-0 WIAC) rallied and tied the game midway through the second period, but the Pointers let special teams lead them the rest of the way, riding power play and shorthanded goals the rest of the way to get the win and an important two points in the standings.
 
Cody Moline started the scoring early, taking a wrist shot from the slot that eluded Yellowjacket goaltender Oscar Svensson (Södertälje, Sweden/Haga Gymnasium) to put the Pointers in front just 21 seconds into the game. It went to 2-0 at 4:59 when Jordan Roo poked home a loose puck in front of the Yellowjacket net.
 
Later in the first period the Yellowjackets seemed to find their footing and carried that momentum into the second period. They finally broke through at 8:17 when Levi Cudmore (Park River, N.D./Park River) scored his second of the year, taking a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Stevens Point goaltender Ryan Wagner. Will Blake (Champlin, Minn./Breck School) and Coltyn Bates (Brandon, Manitoba/Vincent Massey Collegiate) assisted.
 
Moments later the Yellowjackets tied it on the power play. Lawson McDonald (Winkler, Manitoba/Northlands Parkway Collegiate) took the shot from near the top of the right circle that got past Wagner. It was McDonald's first of the year and tied the score 2-2 with 9:01 to play in the second period.
 
The Yellowjackets had a golden opportunity to take their first lead of the night with a power play late in the period, but that ended when they took a penalty of their own. The Pointers capitalized, with Zach Zech letting a rocket go from the right circle that beat Svensson high in the final minute of the period, putting Stevens Point back in front 3-2.
 
In the third the Yellowjackets again got a power play, this time looking to tie, but the Pointers intercepted a pass at their own blue line and Jordan Fader scored on the shorthanded breakaway to extend the lead to 4-2 at 8:19.

The Yellowjackets again pulled to within one when Connor Hamonic's (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Vincent Massey Collegiate) stretch pass sprung Chad Lopez (Arlington, Texas/University of Texas) in alone, and Lopez beat Wagner to the stick side to make it a 4-3 game with 4:34 to go. For Lopez, the goal was his first point in five games dating back to last season.

As quickly as the Yellowjackets got back in the game the Pointers countered. At 17:16 they closed out the scoring when Tyler Pietrowski beat Svensson from the right circle to make the final score 5-3.
 
Svensson takes the loss, falling to 2-2-0 on the year. He finished the game with 25 saves.
 
The Yellowjackets and Pointers will meet again Friday, February 19 in the second game of their series. The opening face-off from Wessman Arena is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
 
UW-Superior and Yellowjacket Athletics will follow the COVID-19 safety guidelines and protocols recommended by the Douglas County Health Department. To conduct our events in the safest manner possible, spectators will not be permitted at UW-Superior home athletic events. Fans can follow the Yellowjackets through our online content provider, the iFan Sports Network. Fans can also listen to contests live on the radio home of Yellowjacket sports, 91.3 KUWS.