SUPERIOR, Wis. – Through the first nine games of the 2021-22 season, the Yellowjacket men's hockey team needed only 60 minutes to get a result, on the way to posting a rather pedestrian 5-4-0 record.
 
Since then, however, it has been a different story.
 
In the last six games, the Yellowjackets have gone to overtime on four occasions, and in the process have put together a season-best six-game unbeaten streak (4-0-2).
 
Friday night at Wessman Arena the 'Jackets hosted Saint John's in a contest of two evenly-matched teams. The Yellowjackets were looking for their first three-game winning streak of the season, while the Johnnies came in as one of the hottest teams in the country, looking to extend their winning streak to seven.
 
Something had to give.
 
The Johnnies got the scoring started, but the Yellowjackets came from behind and finished it off in this one. Dylan Johnson (Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet Senior) drew a penalty just over a minute into overtime and the Yellowjackets made the Johnnies pay. Reed Stark (Suffern, N.Y./Douglas County West), who has been one of the hotter scorers during the Yellowjacket unbeaten streak, picked his corner from the top of the circles at 2:31 of the extra session, giving the Yellowjackets a 3-2 win over Saint John's.
 
For Stark, who went goalless through his first eight games, it was his sixth goal and second game winner during his last in the last five. The power play marker also extended the power play streak for the Yellowjackets (9-4-2, 4-2-1 WIAC) to seven straight games with at least one goal on the man advantage.
 
Defense was the name of the game early, as both teams were tight in their own zone in the first period. The Johnnies killed off a Yellowjacket power play midway through the first period and shortly after returning to full strength got on the board. Brady Dahl made a perfect stretch pass to spring Nick Michel on the breakaway and his shot beat Myles Hektor (Lake Bluff, Ill./Lake Forest) high on the glove side to make it 1-0.

It stayed that way until the midpoint of the second period when the 'Jackets tied it. Jordan Martin (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Vincent Massey Collegiate) made a brilliantly poised play, handling the puck on the left side and waiting out a defender before sliding a perfect feed to Johnson who was driving the net, and the top scorer for the Yellowjackets just had to redirect it home for his team-leading 11th goal of the year at 9:44. Coltyn Bates (Brandon, Manitoba/Vincent Massey Collegiate) also assisted.
 
The Yellowjackets took the lead for the first time at 13:06 of the third period. Charles Martin (Blainville, Quebec/École internationale Lucille-Teasdale) handled the puck at the blue line and spotted Artur Terchiyev (Kiev, Ukraine/Everest Academy) jumping into the play from the left point. Terchiyev got the puck in the left circle and rifled a shot into the top corner, snapping a 13-game goal drought to give the 'Jackets a 2-1 lead. Zach Bannister (Grande Prairie, Alberta/St. Joseph Catholic) also got an assist on the goal.
 
Saint John's came right back, however, and tied the game. Jack Johnson scored his first of the year just 1:01 later, pushing home a rebound to make the score 2-2.
 
Early in the overtime, the Yellowjackets had a great chance to win when Jordan Martin (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Vincent Massey Collegiate) snuck behind the Saint John's defense, but Johnson's pass failed to connect. Johnson stayed with the play and was hauled down, putting the 'Jackets on the power play.

Stark had multiple looks from the right circle, but the one-timer he wanted was never quite on. As the 'Jackets moved around the offensive and time ticked down, Stark worked his way to the slot and snapped a shot past Saint John's goaltender Mac Berglove, beating him low to give the 'Jackets the hard-fought win.
 
In addition to the overtime marker, the Yellowjacket penalty kill continued its fine work. The 'Jackets were a perfect 4-for-4 on the kill, and they have now killed off 36 of the last 37 shorthanded chances against them.
 
Hektor made his third straight start in goal for the Yellowjackets and finished the night with 28 saves. His record on the year now stands at 6-2-1. The Yellowjackets outshot the Johnnies 50-30 in the game.
 
The Yellowjackets will be back home Saturday night when they host Gustavus Adolphus College. The opening face-off from Wessman Arena is set for 7:05 p.m.