STEVENS POINT, Wis. – There was good news and bad news for the Yellowjacket men's hockey team Saturday.

The good news, the Yellowjackets scored first and led after the first period. These two things have been harbingers of good things to come for the 'Jackets throughout the 2023-24 season. The Yellowjackets also scored more than one goal Saturday, marking just the third time in the last 10 outings the Yellowjackets scored more than once.
 
Now for the bad news. As good as things were for the Yellowjackets, it wasn't enough to earn the victory as UW-Stevens Point came from behind to defeat the Yellowjackets 4-2 at K.B. Willett Arena.
 
The loss was the third in a row for the Yellowjackets (11-13-1, 6-8-1 WIAC), who finished the regular season in fifth place in the conference and will now have to go on the road in the opening round of the WIAC playoffs.
 
Dusty Bergstrom (Pine City, Minn./Pine City) and Justin Dauphinais (Val Caron, Ontario/École Secondaire Catholique Horizon) both snapped long goal droughts Saturday, pushing the Yellowjackets in front 2-1 after 20 minutes. Bergstrom scored on a wrist shot from the right circle at 9:28 of the period, while Dauphinais pounced on a loose puck to the left of the Stevens Point goal to score his sixth of the year at 18:20 of the period. Stevens Point's Harrison Stewart had a goal sandwiched in between the two Yellowjacket markers.
 
In the second Stevens Point's Conor Witherspoon scored on a power play at 9:31 to pull the Pointers even. Stevens Point got the eventual game-winning goal at 4:45 of the third period when Mick Heneghan scored, then tacked on an insurance goal when Tyler German scored at 12:30.
 
Kobe Grant (Vernon, British Columbia/South Kamloops Secondary) started in goal for the Yellowjackets and finished he game with 29 saves.
 
Game Notes

• The Yellowjackets had two leads in the game, 1-0 and 2-1.
• Jordan Guiney (Victoria, British Columbia/Belmont Secondary School) had a wraparound attempt at the right of the net sail through the Pointer goal crease seconds before Heneghan's goal broke the 2-2 tie.
• Stevens Point's second-period power play goal broke a string of 14 straight successful penalty kills for the Yellowjackets.
• Gavin Rasmussen (Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet Senior) and Carson Riddle (Ortonville, Mich./Brandon) assisted on Bergstrom's goal, which came one second after the first Yellowjacket power play expired.
• C.J. Walker (Boise, Idaho/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame) and Troy Quinn (Nepean, Ontario/St. Paul's Catholic) assisted on Dauphinais' goal.
• The goal by Bergstrom was his first in 14 games going back to November 25.
• Dauphinais' goal snapped an 11-game goal drought.
• The Yellowjackets outshot Stevens Point 45-33.
• Saturday was the fifth time this season the Yellowjackets had 40-or-more shots on goal in a game.
• Guiney and Walker each had five shots on goal to lead the Yellowjackets.

Next up for the Yellowjackets is the opening round of the 2024 WIAC Tournament. The 'Jackets will travel to River Falls for the best-of-three series beginning Friday, Feb. 16 at W.H. Hunt Arena. The opening faceoff is set for 7:05 p.m.
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