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Yellowjackets
Prove Superior in Point
By Scott Williams
Central Wisconsin Sunday
Original
Article
Box Score
STEVENS
POINT - The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point men's hockey team paraded
to the penalty box for much of Saturday night.
All that was missing was the band and drum majorette.
UW-Superior scored three power-play goals and easily handled the Pointers
5-1 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association action at K.B. Willett Arena.
"When you put a bad team on the power play, you make them good. When you put
a good team on the power play, you make them great. When you put a great
team on the power play, you make them fantastic," UWSP coach Joe Baldarotta
said.
Superior continued its dominance of the Pointers, extending its unbeaten
streak to 13 games (11-0-2).
Coming off a loss to Eau Claire, the Yellowjackets (11-5-1, 4-2 NCHA) made
the most of their chances with the extra man on the ice. They went 3-for-9
on the power play, while Point was scoreless on three attempts.
Three of their first four goals came with the man-advantage as the
Yellowjackets built a 4-1 lead after two periods and put the game on cruise
control.
Yann Poirier, Beau Moyer and Jay Dardis all struck for power-play goals.
"If you've been around the game of hockey, at this point in the season your
power play should be clicking and win you some games," Superior coach Dan
Stauber said.
Superior's Michael Higgins saved his best work for when both teams were at
full strength.
He scored twice - the first coming when he outworked the UWSP defense behind
the net and had enough time to get three shots on goalie Ryan Scott before
flipping the puck over him.
"This was a nice turnaround for us. I thought we played a pretty solid game
from the goalie on out," Stauber said.
The three power-play goals the Pointers surrendered proved too much to
overcome for a team struggling to score.
UWSP (10-5-2, 3-2-1 NCHA) had to wait until early in the second period to
break through when Justin Micek cut the deficit to 2-1 and gave his team
some momentum.
Thirteen seconds later, the Pointers found their way back to the sin bin,
and Moyer made them pay dearly by restoring a two-goal lead.
"Six goals in three games is not going to win you many weekends," Baldarotta
said.
UWSP never recovered from the 3-1 deficit.
Any chance to get back in the game was wiped out by three consecutive
penalties to start the final period. The loss snapped a six-game unbeaten
streak for Scott, who was at the mercy of the 'Jackets' power-play unit.
Life won't get any easier next weekend when NCHA-leading St. Norbert College
and Lake Forest College come to town. Both teams are ranked in the top 10 of
Division III.
"Every weekend is a must-sweep because this is going to be a tight race,"
Baldarotta said. "But we need to turn it around."
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