SUPERIOR, Wis. – What a difference a week has made for the Yellowjacket men's hockey team. Last Friday the Yellowjackets posted a season-high five goals in a win over Gustavus that stretched its winning streak to five games. Since then, the offense has dried up, and unfortunately for the Yellowjackets, so have the wins.
The 'Jackets scored first on Saturday to end a pair of goal droughts, but in the end UW-Eau Claire proved to be too much, defeating the Yellowjackets 3-1 at Wessman Arena.
With the loss the Yellowjackets (10-9-0, 5-4-0 WIAC) have now dropped three games in a row and sit in fourth place in the WIAC with six games remaining in the regular season.
Reed Stark (Suffern, N.Y./Douglas County West) scored the lone goal for the Yellowjackets, taking a pass from
Carson Riddle (Ortonville, Mich./Brandon) on a two-on-one and converting a one-timer at 6:16 of the first period.
Jan Skorpik (Brandýs nad Labem, Czechia/OA Prague) got the start in goal for the Yellowjackets and took the loss, falling to 3-2-0 on the year. He finished the game with 22 saves.
Game Notes
- Stark's goal was his second of the season and the first goal in in the last 145:25 for the Yellowjackets going back to last Friday.
- The goal also snapped a goal drought of 191:41 against UW-Eau Claire dating back to last season.
- UW-Eau Claire scored one goal in each period, with the first two goals coming on the power play.
- Quinn Green assisted on all three goals for UW-Eau Claire.
- Saturday's game was just the second time this season the Yellowjackets lost a game where they scored first. They are now 7-2-0 on the year when they get the first goal.
- The first power play goal of the game for Eau Claire snapped a string of nine straight penalties killed for the Yellowjackets.
- Blake Holmes (Apple Valley, Minn./St. Thomas Academy) was assessed a five-minute major for high sticking in the second period.
- Riddle has three points (1 goal, 2 assists) through his first four games with the Yellowjackets.
- The Yellowjackets outshot Eau Claire 17-13 through the final two periods.
The Yellowjackets will now hit the road for the first time in almost two months, when they travel to UW-River Falls for a two-game series. The first game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26 at W.H. Hunt Arena.
