BLAINE, Minn. – Starts have been difficult for the Yellowjacket men's hockey team in the early stages of the 2022-23 season. Twice in the first three games, the Yellowjackets have fallen behind 3-0 in the first period. Needless to say, they entered play Friday looking to not only pull their record back to .500, but to also have a strong start.
They did that and then some. The Yellowjackets played their most complete game of the season Friday night, and a late goal from
C.J. Walker (Boise, Idaho/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame) was the only goal they'd need on the way to a 1-0 win over Bethel at the National Sports Center in Blaine.
Dylan Meilun (Morden, Manitoba/Morden Collegiate Institute) was strong and steady in goal Friday, improving his record to 2-0-0 on the year and making 29 saves to earn his first collegiate shutout. The Yellowjackets (2-2-0, 0-0-0 WIAC) outshot Bethel 40-29.
The teams were scoreless through two periods, with the teams exchanging shots and chances in the first period, before the Yellowjackets gained a territorial advantage in the second, outshooting the Royals 21-8 in the frame. Bethel starter Travis Allen, like Meilun was strong and steady in goal, turning every shot from the Yellowjackets aside.
It was a clean game, with Yellowjackets being called for just one penalty, and Bethel just three. One of Bethel's penalties came early in the third period, and the Royals nearly struck shorthanded. A two-on-one turned into a point-blank one-timer from the right circle, but Meilun snuffed out that opportunity. A few minutes later a blocked shot yielded a breakaway for Bethel, but again Meilun was up to the task, making a glove save and keeping the game scoreless.
With time winding down,
Antonio Di Paolo (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Humboldt Collegiate Institute) got the puck in the neutral zone and skated into Bethel territory. He stickhandled around a defender, but his shot went over the top of the net. The puck hit the glass and caromed to the right of the goal where Walker got it and chipped it past Allen, putting the Yellowjackets in front with just 2:06 to go.
Bethel pulled Allen with 90 seconds to play, but the Yellowjackets were outstanding on defense, and didn't give the Royals any good scoring chances as time expired.
With the victory, Yellowjacket head coach
Rich McKenna is now 4-0-0 all-time against Bethel.
The Yellowjackets are back in action Saturday when they travel to Winona, Minn. for a date with Saint Mary's. The opening faceoff at SMU Ice Arena is set for 7:05 p.m.
