| 'Jackets Headed For NCHA Finals |
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Saturday at Wessman Arena, two longtime NCHA
playoff rivals took to the ice as the Yellowjackets played host to
UW-Stevens Point. Over the last two decades, the Yellowjackets
and Pointers have squared off several times in the playoffs, from
the first round to NCAA quarterfinals, these two teams have faced
each other through it all. Every game between the two, it
seems, has something big on the line. The latest chapter in
the rivalry was no different, as the urgency and the tension in the
building were palpable.
The Yellowjackets scored early but the Pointers countered. The
teams at one point combined to score three goals in a span of 2:35,
but in the end it was the home team punching their tickets to "Titletown,"
as the Yellowjackets took down the Pointers by a 4-2 score.
With the win, the Yellowjackets advance to the Peters Cup finals
where they will travel to St. Norbert, who took care of River Falls
5-3 in Saturday's other semifinal. The Pointers close out
their season at 13-14-1.
The Yellowjackets opened the scoring early when Justin
Faryna (Calgary, Alberta) scored an unassisted goal just
3:53 in to make it 1-0. Faryna had the puck in the right
corner and eluded the Pointer defense, driving to the net and
letting a backhand go that beat Nick Graves for his team-leading
13th goal of the year. From there, the Yellowjackets had a
golden opportunity to break the game open early, as they were given
three power play chances in the first ten minutes but weren't able
to capitalize. The Pointers would even the score at 14:55 when
Kyle Politz, carrying the puck into Yellowjacket territory on the
right wing, let a wrist shot go that beat Drew Strandberg
(Thunder Bay, Ontario) high on the glove side, making it
1-1. Politz was in the right circle and dropped a shoulder as
if to make a pass and Strandberg bit on the fake, exposing the glove
side. It was the fourth goal of the year for Politz.
In the second, the Yellowjackets again regained the lead and this
time would not let it go. With the Yellowjackets on a power
play following an early penalty, Joey Massingham (Duncan,
British Columbia) sent a pass from the right corner toward
the blue line that bounced, potentially allowing an odd-man rush the
other way for the Pointers. But Derek Stauber (Duluth,
Minnesota) calmly knocked the puck to the ice and took a
low wrist shot that was tipped by Kyle Leahy (Fort St. John,
British Columbia) in the slot. The shot rang off the
post behind Graves and snuck in, giving the Yellowjackets a 2-1 edge
at 2:09. The goal was Leahy's sixth of the year. The
lead bulged to 3-1 when Tyler Klein (Fargo, North Dakota)
had the puck in the right corner and walked out, sliding a
low shot that got underneath the pads of Graves, making it 3-1 at
4:22. The goal, coming while the teams were skating 4-on-4,
was the sixth of the year for Klein. Chad Blanleil
(Kelowna, British Columbia) had the assist. Following
the goal, Talon Berlando (Drumheller, Alberta)
mimicked the goal celebration that Politz performed earlier and was
given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, putting the Pointers on
the power play. They would capitalize with great puck movement
right off the faceoff, and Garrett Suter fed a pass from the right
point to the left circle, where Chade Boeckman let a wrister go,
beating Strandberg up high before he could move from left to right
to make it 3-2 at 4:44. After the Pointer goal, play would
settle down and the teams began playing a free-flowing, back-and
forth game. The Yellowjackets would close out the scoring
midway through the game, when Berlando followed up a Klein rush,
picked up a loose puck to the left of the goal and flipped it past
Graves, making it 4-2 at 10:16. It was the 11th of the year
for Berlando.
The Pointers nearly tied it up at one point, ringing a shot off the
post. They would hit a post later in the second period and
still another in the third period, totaling four in the game.
As the third period wore on, as has been the case with the
Yellowjackets this post-season, the opposition began to take
control. In the waning minutes of the game, Strandberg and the
Yellowjacket defense found themselves under siege, but they were
unable to put one home and the Yellowjackets walked out with the
win.
Strandberg was his usual solid self in goal for the Yellowjackets,
picking up his tenth win of the season and making 31 saves in the
process. At the other end, Graves made 28 stops for the
Pointers. Each team took five penalties in the game for ten
minutes, and each team went 1-4 on the power play.
The Yellowjackets (16-11-1) will hit the road and make the long trip
to eastern Wisconsin, will they will play St. Norbert College
(21-4-1) for the Peters Cup on Saturday, March 5 at the Cornerstone
Community Center. The latest chapter in another rich playoff
rivalry will feature the top two seeds in the NCHA. Game time
is 7:05 p.m. and can be heard live locally on 91.3 FM KUWS,
beginning with the pre-game show at 6:40 p.m. If you are
outside the local listening area you can tune in on the web at
www.ifan.tv. Jon Garver will
have the call. |
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