SUPERIOR, Wis. – The more things change, the more they stay the same.

That's what can be said about the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's hockey standings this weekend. Friday night the Yellowjackets shut out Eau Claire and River Falls toppled Stevens Point, making things a little tighter atop the standings. After Saturday, however, everything went back to the way it was heading into the weekend.
 
UW-Eau Claire came out with a sense of urgency and took it to the Yellowjackets Saturday, earning a 4-1 win at Wessman Arena.
 
The loss brought an end to an eight-game unbeaten streak and five-game winning streak for the Yellowjackets (11-5-2, 5-3-1 WIAC).
 
Eau Claire opened the scoring at 11:34 of the first period. Charles Martin (Blainville, Quebec/École internationale Lucille-Teasdale) blocked the initial shot for the Yellowjackets, but the puck bounced off him to Willy Stauber who put it off the post and in to make it 1-0.

The Blugolds increased the lead to 2-0 just 1:00 into the second period when Ryan Green went in on the breakaway and beat Yellowjacket goaltender Myles Hektor (Lake Bluff, Ill./Lake Forest) between the pads. It went to 3-0 at 7:47 of the second period when the Blugolds converted on an odd-man rush. Blake Kryska got the puck in the high slot and his shot beat Hektor high on the stick side.
 
Early in the third period the Yellowjackets showed signs of life, and with a little luck, put an end to the Eau Claire shutout bid. Starting the period on the power play, the Yellowjackets got the puck in the offensive zone and C.J. Walker (Boise, Idaho/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame) wristed a shot over the top of the goal. The puck hit the glass behind the net and came directly back to the net, hitting Eau Claire goaltender Ryan Ouellette in the back and going in to pull the Yellowjackets to within 3-1 just 1:15 into the third.
 
Later in the period the Yellowjackets had a golden opportunity to pull to within one, but Ouellette stymied Will Blake (Champlin, Minn./Breck School) on a breakaway.
 
The Yellowjackets took some penalties in the third, severely hurting their chances at a comeback win.
 
Hektor took the loss in the game, finishing with 29 saves. His record on the year now stands at 8-3-1. The Yellowjackets were outshot in the game 33-25.
 
The 'Jackets did win the special teams battle Saturday, going 1-for-3 on the power play and killing off all four shorthanded opportunities, including 48 seconds of 5-on-3 power play time.
 
The Yellowjackets return to action Friday, Jan. 28 when they travel to UW-Stevens Point. The opening face-off from K.B. Willett Arena is set for 7 p.m.