RIVER FALLS, Wis. – The best way to sum up the Yellowjacket men's hockey season to date is probably to quote the Grateful Dead – "What a long, strange trip it's been."
 
After getting through the first two weeks of the season unscathed, the Yellowjackets have had a game canceled each of the last two weeks due to COVID-19 protocols. It just so happened those games were supposed to be played at Wessman Arena, meaning Wednesday's contest was the third straight road game for the Yellowjackets, who were looking to put an end to a two-game losing streak.
 
Offense was hard to come by Wednesday, as the Yellowjackets were outshot for the third straight game and only able to score twice, but they clamped down defensively and shut down the River Falls offense on the way to a 2-1 win at W.H. Hunt Arena.
 
The victory pushed the Yellowjackets (3-2-0, 3-2-0 WIAC) back to a game over .500 and set the stage for what should be a great rematch Friday.
 
Last Wednesday at Stevens Point the Yellowjackets got off to a dreadful start, falling behind 2-0 before the game was five minutes old. Things were different this time around. The Yellowjackets didn't find the back of the net, but they held a big territorial advantage through the first half of the period and nearly took the lead early. As the period got along, River Falls evened play out and held a 7-5 edge in shots through 20 minutes.
 
Tempers started to flare and the trips to the penalty box became more regular in the second, yet the game remained scoreless until late. That's when the 'Jackets broke through.
 
On their third power play of the game, the Yellowjackets finally found rhythm, moving the puck around the offensive zone and eventually breaking through. Pavel Mikhasenok (Yekaterinburg, Russia/Everest Academy) made a perfect pass from the right point to Dylan Johnson (Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet) in the left circle, and Johnson caught the pass and shot all in one motion to pick up his third goal of the year at 16:37 of the period to make it 1-0.
 
The lead increased to 2-0 in the final minute of the second. This time Will Blake (Champlin, Minn./Breck School) brought the puck into the River Falls zone on the right wing, and from the top of the right circle took a wrist shot that got past River Falls' goaltender Dean Buchholtz. The goal came at 19:12 and the 'Jackets took the two-goal lead into the locker room.

River Falls got on the board early in the third to cut the Yellowjacket lead in half. Josh Arnold broke into the Yellowjacket zone and took a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Oscar Svensson (Södertälje, Sweden/Haga Gymnasium) on the glove side to make it 2-1.

From there River Falls had the puck in the offensive zone for long stretches, including a pressure-filled final four minutes, but the Yellowjacket defense kept things to the outside and didn't allow any second-chance opportunities. When a shot did get through, Svensson was there, finishing the period with eight saves.

The Yellowjackets won the special teams battle, going 1-for-4 on the power play and killing off all three shorthanded opportunities.
 
Charles Martin (Blainville, Quebec/École internationale Lucille-Teasdale) had another solid game on the blue line for the Yellowjackets, logging big minutes and assisting on both goals.

Svensson earned the win Wednesday, making 26 saves to improve to 3-2 on the year.
 
The Yellowjackets and Falcons will play the second game of their series Friday, February 26. Game time from Wessman Arena is set 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.