SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Yellowjacket men's hockey team lost its 2023-24 season opener on the road at St. Scholastica. In the game, the Yellowjackets fell behind 4-0 before battling back to tie the game. With a late power play, the 'Jackets had a chance to get the win, only to allow a shorthanded goal and ultimately lose the game 6-4.
 
The defeat left a sour taste in the team's collective mouth, and the Yellowjackets hoped a day would come when they would get another crack at the Saints.

That crack came Saturday. St. Scholastica defeated Dubuque 5-2 Friday, and the Yellowjackets defeated Marian 2-1 on the opening day of the 2023 Superior Showdown sponsored by Subway, setting the stage for the longtime rivals to play for the tournament championship.
 
There have been many a great game played between the schools over the last half century, and Saturday's tilt added another great chapter to the saga.
 
Two times St. Scholastica took a lead Saturday, and twice the Yellowjackets tied it, setting the stage for overtime. It was there that Yellowjacket senior Jordan Guiney (Victoria, British Columbia/Belmont Secondary School) took on the starring role, breaking in on the left wing and wiring a shot over the right shoulder of St. Scholastica goaltender Jack Bostedt, giving the Yellowjackets a 3-2 win and sending the largest Wessman Arena crowd of the season into hysterics.
 
Guiney, who also scored the game-winning goal in Friday's victory, earned spot on the all-tournament team and was named the MVP of the 2023 Superior Showdown.
 
A lot came the Yellowjackets' (9-6-0, 5-2-0 WIAC) way with the win. First, they won their own tournament for the first time in the event's six-year history. Second, it extended their winning streak to four games, and improved their recent stretch to eight wins in their last nine outings. Finally, the victory handed St. Scholastica, who entered the game as the No. 2 team in the nation, its first loss of the year.
 
Both teams came out with jump Saturday, going back-and-forth early. It wasn't until there was under two minutes to play that the Saints broke the ice. Tristan Shewchuk got the puck in the left circle and used a moving screen to put a shot past Yellowjacket goaltender Jack Boschert (Florissant, Mo./Duchesne) to make it 1-0 with 1:41 to go in the period.
 
It stayed that way until early in the second period when the Yellowjackets pulled even. A turnover below the goal line gave the Yellowjackets possession and two unguarded players in front of the Saints' goal. Chris Ishmael (Oakville, Ontario/Abbey Park Secondary School) was denied on the first shot, but Tristan Therrien (Prévost, Québec/Newbridge Academy) scooped up the rebound and lifted a backhand past Bostedt for his second of the year, tying it at 1-1. Collin Pederson (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna Senior) also assisted on the goal that came at 4:49 of the second.
 
Early in the third period the Saints regained the lead, and again they did the damage on the power play. This time it was Brodie Girod, who got the puck in the slot and hammered a shot past Boschert up high, making it 2-1 at 4:20.
 
The lead was short-lived, however, as the Yellowjackets came back and tied it. Reed Stark (Suffern, N.Y./Douglas County West) had the puck on the left wing and centered a pass to Daniel Rozsival (Chicago, Ill./North Shore Country Day) who was driving the net. Rozsival wasted little time in sending a laser past Bostedt, to tie it at 6:48 of the third.
 
In overtime the Yellowjackets nearly ended it early, but Justin Dauphinais (Val Caron, Ontario/École Secondaire Catholique Horizon) was denied on the breakaway. That set the stage for Guiney to end the game and get the 'Jackets the win.
 
With the win, Boschert improved to 5-1-0 on the year, as he finished the game with 27 saves. At the other end Bostedt made 23 saves for the Saints.
 
Earlier Saturday, Marian won the Subway Superior Showdown consolation game, defeating Dubuque 7-0.
 
2023 Subway Superior Showdown All-Tournament Team
Goaltender – Jack Boschert (Florissant, Mo./Duchesne) – UW-Superior
Defense – Noah Pickart – Marian
Defense – Brandon Rossetti – Dubuque
Forward – Nick Cherkowski – Marian
Forward – Jordan Guiney (Victoria, British Columbia/Belmont Secondary School) – UW-Superior (MVP)
Forward – Filimon Ledenkov – St. Scholastica
 
The Yellowjackets will be back in action Friday, Jan. 12 when they host Gustavus Adolphus. The opening face-off is set for 7:05 p.m. at Wessman Arena.