The 'Jackets are NCHA Champions - technically.  We say technically because with their win on Saturday night, they clinched a tie for the league championship.  The only other team in the league that can catch them is UW-Stout.  The 'Jackets own the tiebreaker on the Blue Devils, and therefore will have the number-one seed throughout the NCHA playoffs and will raise a banner as league champs.

But to win the league outright, they will need to a win or a tie over St. Scholastica next Friday or a Stout tie or loss next Friday against River Falls.

Saturday night was a magical night at Wessman Arena.  It was "Pink the Rink" night.  The 'Jackets were wearing limited edition pink jerseys that were auctioned off for charity.  There were drawings and displays, all of which raised money for SMDC in Superior and raised money for breast cancer awareness.  The crowd of 1,325 witnessed the 'Jackets clinching home ice by way of a 6-1 win over UW-Stevens Point.

A quick start was important in this one to get the crowd into the game, but the Pointers were the ones running out of the gate.  Just 14 seconds into the game Jon Madden scored his 16th of the season to make it 1-0.  After the goal, Madden promptly turned toward the crowd and put a finger to his lips, insinuating that they should be quiet.  And for the first period, they were.  The 'Jackets were overwhelmed by a pressuring offensive attack and the physical nature that the Pointers played.  The 'Jackets were also forced to kill off three penalties in the first, something that could have contributed to the swing in momentum.

The momentum fell the way of the 'Jackets in the second, which turned out to be one of the most dominating periods in school history.  The 'Jackets blew the game open by scoring five times in the middle frame, the period when they traditionally struggle the most, and outshooting the Pointers 19-3.  Ryan Kuntz (Sr. Regina, Saskatchewan) got the first goal at 2:44 to tie the period.  Kuntz let a shot go from the right circle that snuck under the pads of Pointer goaltender Thomas Speer and into the net.  Braden Desmet (Jr. Strathmore, Alberta) got the assist.  The 'Jackets then took the lead for good at 4:03 when Chris Berry (Jr. Calgary, Alberta) tipped a Brian Bina (Jr. Grand Forks, North Dakota) shot from the point past Speer to make it 2-1.  Seth Reda (Sr. Palmer, Alaska) also assisted on Berry's eighth of the year.  Reda then himself got in on the act.  With the 'Jackets breaking in on a rush, Reda headed for the goal.  Art Clark (Jr. Bloomington, Minnesota) patiently held the puck as he carried into the zone on the right.  Clark waited until the last possible moment and then slid a pass to Reda at the goal mouth who tapped it in (and took a big hit) for his eighth of the year at 7:09 to make it 3-1.  Talon Berlando (So. Drumheller, Alberta) also got an assist.

From there, the line of Berlando, Logan Isley (So. Bonnyville, Alberta) and Chris Wilson (Jr. Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) took over.  Isley was the beneficiary of some nifty playmaking, and great cycling in the offensive zone, allowing him to score the final three goals of the game for the 'Jackets.  He tapped home a centering feed at 15:19 of the second to make it 4-1.  He then converted a power play marker at 16:44 to make it 5-1.  Late in the third, he took a goal mouth feed at the right of the net and buried it at 17:23 to make it 6-1 and complete his first collegiate hat trick.  Isley now has 11 goals on the year, matching his total from last season.

Berlando had four assists for the second time in the last three games and Wilson had three helpers.

Chad Beiswenger (Sr. Moorhead, Minnesota) went largely untested for most of the game, making just 19 saves.  Thomas Speer made 37 saves for Stevens Point.  The 'Jackets went 2-3 on the power play and took seven penalties for 14 minutes.  The Pointers took five for ten minutes and were 0-5 with the man advantage.

As was mentioned earlier, the 'Jackets clinched the number one seed in the NCHA playoffs and will be at home as long as they can keep playing.  They will host Lake Forest, who is guaranteed to be the number eight seed, in the first round.

But before all that, the 'Jackets (19-2-3, 10-1-2 NCHA) still have one regular season game left.  On Friday, February 13, they will close out the schedule at home against St. Scholastica.  The Saints pasted the 'Jackets 7-2 at Mars-Lakeview Arena on January 17.  Game time on Friday night will be 7:05 p.m. and can be heard live locally on KUWS, 91.3 FM, beginning with the pre-game show at 6:45 p.m.  If you are outside the local listening area, you can tune in via the Internet at www.kuws.fm.  Jon Garver will have the call.