Yellowjackets sweep Pointers; UWS women split with UWRF

Stellar special teams play helped the University of Wisconsin-Superior men’s hockey team win its fifth straight game with a 4-2 win over UW-Stevens Point Saturday night at Wessman Arena.

The Yellowjackets (5-1 overall, 3-1 in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association) scored a pair of power-play goals and then killed off of a five-minute major penalty which was called with 5:26 remaining and UWS clinging on to a 3-2 lead.

After killing off the Pointers’ power play, the Yellowjackets sealed the victory when Pat Dalbec was credited with an empty-net goal with 5.3 seconds remaining.

River Falls missed an excellent chance to tie the game when a Falcon hit the right post in the final minute of play.

After successfully killing off the penalty, Dalbec broke in on an empty net. But before the former Superior Spartan was able to get a shot off, he was hauled down and then credited with the goal by the referees.

With his third goal of the season, Dalbec now has scored at least one point the Yellowjackets’ six game.

Saturday’s win also completed Superior’s two-game sweep of UWSP. The Yellowjackets won Friday’s game 3-2 in overtime. Stevens Point falls to 3-4 overall and 0-4 in the NCHA.

UWS got off to a good start Saturday with four shots on goal in the first minute.

The constant pressure paid off for UWS at 5:01 when Marc Fortin scored his first goal of the season. Cody Hotchkin and Andy Singerhouse assisted on the goal by applying press from the right side before Fortin snuck in from the weak side and slapped the puck in behind Point goaltender Brandon Jaeger.

Both teams scored twice in the second period, starting with Jeff Forsythe’s 4-on-3 power-play goal with an assist from Dalbec at 2:34.

Point made it a 2-1 game at 11:36 when Jerry Freismuth picked off a UWS clearing attempt and put the puck into the top left corner.

UWS regained a two-goal cushion at 12:36 when Kyle Leahy deflected a shot by Forsythe over Jaeger’s right shoulder. Leahy’s third goal came 19 seconds into a power play.

Point made it 3-2 at 15:37 after a UWS defenseman blocked a shot, but the puck went right to Evan Dixon, who put it over Strandberg’s shoulder.

UWS killed off 57 seconds of a penalty carried over from the second period and then a too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty before having to kill of Tanner Dion’s major penalty for checking from behind.

Strandberg, who was playing in his third game of the season, finished with 17 saves. Jaeger had 21 saves for Point.

UWS is back in action next weekend against UW-Stout. Friday’s game will be played in Menomonie and Saturday’s game will be at Wessman Arena. Both games begin at 7:05 p.m.

UW-Stevens Point 0-2-0—2

UW-Superior 1-2-1—4

First Period: 1. UWS, Marc Fortin 1 (Cody Hotchkin, Andy Singerhouse), 5:01.

Second Period: 2. UWS, Jeff Forsythe 1 (Pat Dalbec), 2:34 (4-on-3). 3. UWSP, Jerry Freismuth, 11:36. 4. UWS, Kyle Leahy 3 (Forsythe), 12:36 (pp). 5. UWSP, Evan Dixon (Alex Kromm, Kevin Gibson), 15:37.

Third Period: 6, UWS, Dalbec 3, 19:54. (en).

Saves: Brandon Jaeger, UWSP 10-5-6—21. Drew Strandberg, UWS 9-3-5—17.

Friday’s Game

Mike Orosey’s goal 2:34 into overtime gave the University of Wisconsin-Superior men’s hockey team a 3-2 victory over UW-Stevens Point Friday night before a Wessman Arena crowd of 732.

Pat Dalbec and Andy Singerhouse assisted on Orosey’s game-winning goal for the Yellowjackets (4-1), who took a 2-0 lead with Singerhouse’s goal in the first period and Tanner Dion’s power-play goal in the second.

The Pointers (3-3) forced overtime with third-period goals by Nick Kenney and Kyle Politz.

Kevin Gibson, who assisted Politz’s goal, is the son of Kirk Gibson, current manager of the Arizona Diamondback. The elder Gibson played in the major leagues for the Detroit Tigers, L.A. Dodgers, Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates. Gibson is best known for a home run he hit off Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series between the Dodgers and Oakland Athletics.

‘JACKET JOTTINGS: UWS was 1-for-2 on the power play and UWSP 0-3. … The Yellowjackets had three minor penalties and the Pointers two. ...

UW-Stevens Point 0 0 2 0 -- 2

UW-Superior 1 1 0 1 -- 3

First Period: 1. UWS, Andy Singerhouse (Joey Massingham, Cody Hotchkin), 18:11.

Second Period: 2. UWS, Tanner Dion (Nick Stoskopf, Chad Blaniell), 4:27.

Third Period: 3. UWSP, Nick Kenney (Alex Brooks), 11:53. 4. Kyle Politz (Kevin Gibson), 10:32.

OT: 5. UWS, Mike Orosey (Pat Dalbec, Andy Singerhouse), 2:34.

Saves: Nick Graves, UWSP 4-9-9—22. Drew Strandberg, UWS 4-4-6—14. Att: 732.

Women’s Hockey

The UWS women salvaged a split with UW-River Falls thanks to a 2-1 victory Saturday afternoon at Wessman Arena. The Falcons won the opening game of the NCHA series 4-0 Friday afternoon.

Alyssa Black scored River Falls’ goal 10:53 into the first period.

UWS tied it up on Chelsey Wierschem’s power-play goal at 16:05 of the second period and took the lead on Haley Olmstead’s goal with 12:52 left in the third period.

Karen Larson and Kaiti Graham assisted on Wierschem’s goal and Sheryl Kaskiw helped out on the game-winner.

Shanley Peters had 25 saves in goal for the Yellowjackets. Gillian McDonald had 26 saves for the Falcons.

On Friday, Crystal Lowell, Kait Mason, Black and Brook Story scored goals and Ashley Kuechle finished with 18 saves for the Falcons.

Peters had 19 saves for the Yellowjackets.

UWS hosts Concordia-Wis., at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday.

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