MENOMONIE, Wis. – February has not been kind to the Yellowjacket men's hockey team. After spending much of the season in contention for the WIAC regular season title, the 'Jackets went on its longest skid of the season, and entered play Saturday just hoping to stay in the running for a home playoff series.
 
Saturday night, the Yellowjackets took on a UW-Stout team that not only took the first two games of the season series between the two, but also is the most likely first round opponent in the WIAC tournament. It's been a while, but the 'Jackets put together a solid all-around effort and got back in the win column.
 
The Yellowjackets got goals in every period and worked their way to a 5-2 win over UW-Stout at the Fannetti Community Center.
 
Perhaps more important, several players who had struggled to score recently found their way onto the scoresheet for the Yellowjackets (13-10-2, 6-6-1 WIAC) Saturday.
 
One of those players, Troy MacTavish (Kanata, Ontario/Earl of March), set the tone for the evening, getting the Yellowjackets on the board just 2:38 into the game. Chad Lopez (Arlington, Texas/University of Texas) started the play in his own zone and moved the puck ahead to Martan Yelle (Geneva, Ill./Geneva). Yelle carried up the left wing, entered zone, and sent a pass to MacTavish in the right circle who lifted it over Stout goaltender Brennan Kitchen to make it 1-0. It was the second of the year for MacTavish, and his first since Nov. 19.
 
The 'Jackets increased the lead with a power play goal at 8:54 of the first. Coltyn Bates (Brandon, Manitoba/Vincent Massey Collegiate) fed to Lopez in the left circle, and the senior converted for his eighth of the year to make it 2-0.
 
Stout would cut the lead in half with a power play goal of its own a few minutes later. Logan Nelson, who scored twice against the Yellowjackets Friday, banked a shot in off Landon Pavlisin (San Clemente, Calif./Pacific Coast) from a sharp angle and it was 2-1.
 
The Yellowjackets went back on the power play early in the second and restored the two-goal lead. MacGregor Sinclair (Irma, Alberta/Irma School) took a shot from the slot that was blocked, but the carom ended up in the left circle and Zach Bannister (Grande Prairie, Alberta/St. Joseph Catholic) buried it for his eighth, putting the 'Jackets up 3-1 at 4:20 of the period.
 
It stayed that way until the closing minutes of the second. Stout cleared the puck around the right wing boards and Bates redirected it with his skate into the slot. Dylan Johnson (Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet Senior), the leading goal scorer for the Yellowjackets, ripped a one-timer home for his 13th of the year, and the 'Jackets led 4-1 after two.
 
Stout made it interesting late in the third period when Kobe Keller picked the top corner from the right circle, cutting the lead to 4-2 with 5:26 to play. The Yellowjackets also took a penalty on the play, giving Stout a chance to build the momentum late, but the penalty kill came through to preserve the lead.

The 'Jackets salted the game away with 20.1 seconds to go, as Jordan Martin (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Vincent Massey Collegiate) scored into the empty net, making the final score 5-2.
 
Martin, Johnson and Lopez all finished with a goal and an assist, while Bates had a big night with three assists.
 
Pavlisin had a good night in goal for the Yellowjackets, finishing with 30 saves. The Yellowjackets were outshot 30-27.
 
The Yellowjackets will now move into the WIAC tournament, beginning Friday, Feb. 18. The opponent and location will be determined Sunday. Stay tuned to www.uwsyellowjackets.com for WIAC tournament and schedule information.