EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – For the most part, every team, at every level, will face some adversity every season.

For the Yellowjacket men's hockey team, the first half of the 2022-23 season went, for the most part, according to plan. Since returning from the break, however, the 'Jackets have experienced their first real adversity of the campaign.
 
Since starting the year 9-4-0, the Yellowjackets had gone 1-3-2, and entered play Saturday having lost back-to-back games for the first time on the year. Saturday not only were they needing to snap their mini skid, but the Yellowjackets also needed a win to continue keeping pace with the leaders in the WIAC. Following Friday's loss, the Yellowjackets were three points behind UW-Stevens Point, and only three points clear of red-hot UW-Stout.
 
The 'Jackets had their chances Saturday, twice enjoying leads in the second game of their weekend series with Eau Claire, but ultimately they played with fire one too many times and were forced to settle for a 3-3 tie in overtime at the Hobbs Ice Center.
 
The Yellowjackets (10-7-2, 5-3-1 WIAC) did earn a point, but Eau Claire got the extra point by way of a 2-1 win in the shootout.
 
Penalties were the big story in this one. The Yellowjackets gave the Blugolds seven power plays in the game, including two in each the second and third periods, allowing them to seize the momentum and put the 'Jackets on their heels for much of the game.
 
Despite playing the second game in as many days and having two road trips in between, the Yellowjackets came out with a lot of hop in their step, and like they've done many times this season, scored the first goal.
 
Bradley Stonnell (Surrey, British Columbia/Tamanawis Secondary School) got the puck in the neutral zone and sent a pass up the right wing to Conor MacLean (Wilcox, Saskatchewan/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame), who skated into the right circle and wristed a shot past Eau Claire goaltender Max Gutjahr at 9:40 of the opening period. It was MacLean's third goal of the year.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Eau Claire tied it up just 14 seconds later. Cade Lemmer scored his second goal of the weekend, sliding a backhand past Yellowjacket goaltender Dylan Meilun (Morden, Manitoba/Morden Collegiate Institute).
 
The Yellowjackets started the second period shorthanded, and after killing the penalty off immediately took the lead again.
 
Eau Claire dumped the puck into the Yellowjacket zone and Meilun settled it down, then cleared the zone over everyone. The penalty expired and C.J. Walker (Boise, Idaho/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame) came off the bench, moved into Eau Claire territory on the left. Cutting to the net, Walker had his initial shot stopped, but poked home the rebound just 23 seconds into the frame, making it 2-1. It was the eighth goal of the year for Walker, who has goals in three of the last four games.
 
Later in the period Gutjahr misplayed a puck behind his net, putting it in front where Zach Bannister (Grande Prairie, Alberta/St. Joseph Catholic) got to it and scored his third of the year. With 12:46 to play in the second, the 'Jackets were up 3-1, but that's when the penalty trouble started.
 
The 'Jackets took three penalties in a row, and during the last one Leo Bacallao, who scored twice Friday, scored from the slot to make it 3-2 at 17:49.
 
Penalties continued to plague the Yellowjackets in the third, as they took three in a row to start the period, allowing Eau Claire to hold onto the momentum. The 'Jackets nursed the slim lead for most of the period, but the Blugolds had too much momentum going and eventually tied the game at 15:36 when Ryan Green scored on the rush to make it 3-3.
 
The Yellowjackets took a penalty in the final minute of the third, and that carried into overtime. But during the ensuing power play Eau Claire was called for just their second penalty of the game, negating the advantage and giving the Yellowjackets a try of their own.

Stonnell had the best chance of the extra session for the Yellowjackets, but he was denied from the left circle.

After 65 minutes, nothing was decided, and the game went into the books as a tie. In the shootout, Eau Claire scored twice to one goal for the Yellowjackets, giving them the extra point in the standings. Gavin Rasmussen (Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet Senior) scored the shootout goal for the Yellowjackets.

Making his second start in a row in goal, Meilun was strong for the Yellowjackets, finishing the game with 34 saves.

The Yellowjackets are back home Friday, January 27 when they host UW-River Falls in the first game of a two-game series. The opening faceoff is set for 7:05 p.m. at Wessman Arena.