SUPERIOR, Wis. – The struggle is real.
 
That's about the best way to describe the early games of the 2023-24 season for the Yellowjacket men's hockey team. After dropping their first three games of the year on the road, the Yellowjackets got to play on their home ice for the first time this season when they hosted Bethel Friday night.

The change to the home venue didn't change the Yellowjacket fortunes, however, and the search for the first win of the season will have to wait another day.
 
Bethel scored single goals in each of the first and second periods on the way to a 2-0 win over the Yellowjackets at Wessman Arena. Friday marked the second straight game the Yellowjackets (0-4-0, 0-0-0 WIAC) failed to score, and their goalless drought now sits at 161:26.
 
Early Friday it looked like it was going to be the Yellowjackets' night. Just 15 seconds into the game Chris Ishmael (Oakville, Ontario/Abbey Park Secondary School) had a scoring chance at point-blank range, but he was denied on the doorstep.

The pace was great during the first several minutes of action, and the Yellowjackets had Bethel on its heels, but they couldn't capitalize, and the Royals weathered the storm.
 
Near the midpoint of the period, a Yellowjacket fell down at the Bethel blue line and the Royals had a two-on-one the other way. Tyler Kostelecky fed a pass across the slot and Braeden Bartoo had an easy tap-in to put Bethel in front 1-0 at 10:04.
 
In the second period the Yellowjackets wrested momentum away from Bethel, and in the closing minutes of the period went on the power play. The advantage lasted just three seconds, however, as Jordan Guiney (Victoria, British Columbia/Belmont Secondary School) was called for interference. During the ensuing four-on-four, Bethel took advantage of a Yellowjacket line change, and Kostelecky scored from the right circle on the odd-man rush, to make it 2-0 with 4:13 left in the middle frame.

As the third period unfolded the Yellowjackets found quality chances hard to come by. Just over five minutes in Tristan Therrien (Prévost, Québec/Newbridge Academy) intercepted a pass and was poised to go in on a breakaway, but the turnover was at the end of his shift and he couldn't pull away. His effort, however, did put the 'Jackets back on the power play, but they were unable to convert.

The Yellowjackets had a territorial advantage in the period and outshot Bethel 12-9, but the pressure didn't result in a goal and the Royals held on for the win.
 
Kobe Grant (Vernon, British Columbia/South Kamloops Secondary) made his third-straight start in goal and finished with 22 saves, but the hard-luck freshman fell to 0-4-0 on the year. At the other end Travis Allen made 31 saves in the shutout win.
 
Each team took four penalties for eight minutes, and each team was scoreless in three power play chances.
 
The Yellowjackets are back home Saturday night when they host Saint Mary's. The opening faceoff is set for 7:05 p.m. at Wessman Arena.