College men's hockey: Yellowjackets hold off Saints

By Jon Nowacki

November 23, 2013 at 8:51 PM

The college men's hockey matchup between St. Scholastica and Wisconsin-Superior on Saturday night had a little added meaning as it was the only regular-season matchup between the clubs this season.

This one went the way many of the fans expected: hard fought and down to the wire.

When the ice cleared, UWS survived with a much-needed 3-2 nonconference victory before 834 at Mars Lakeview Arena, handing the Saints their first loss of the season.

Senior defenseman Brad Phenow led the way for UWS (3-4) with two assists and a goal, the game winner at 12:52 in the second period.

St. Scholastica (5-1-2) didn't get many opportunities in the first period, but the ones the Saints did get were good. They took advantage of them, going into the first intermission leading 2-1.

The second period was almost all UWS, with Jeff Forythe finding teammate Pat Dalbec sneaking behind the Saints' defense for a breakaway. Dalbec made it count, deking left with a stick fake and then beating Colin Rundell with shot to the top-right corner of the net to knot it 2-2 at 5:25 in the second. The Yellowjackets would take their first lead at 12:52 in the period when Phenow got just enough on a backhander to sneak a low shot past Rundell.

That's how it would stay as Drew Strandberg had eight of his 16 saves in the third period to keep St. Scholastica at bay.

The Saints wore specially designed jerseys as part of Military Appreciation Night.

Wisconsin-Superior 1-2-0--3

St. Scholastica 2-0-0--2

First period - 1. CSS, Josh Hansen (Brandon Nowakowski), 12:05; 2. UWS, Tanner Dion (Brad Phenow, Jeff Forsythe), 12:31; 3. CSS, Keegan Bruce (Derek Hills, Chad Golanowski), 12:43.

Second period - 4. UWS, Pat Dalbec (Phenow, Forsythe), 5:25; 5. UWS, Phenow (Nick Stoskopf), Tanner Dion), 12:52.

Third period - No scoring.

Saves - Drew Strandberg, UWS, 16; Colin Rundell, CSS, 25.

By Jon Nowacki

Jon Nowacki joined the News Tribune in August 1998 as a sports reporter. He grew up in Stephen, Minnesota, in the northwest corner of the state, where he was actively involved in school and sports and was a proud member of the Tigers’ 1992 state championship nine-man football team.

After graduating in 1993, Nowacki majored in print journalism at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, serving as editor of the college paper, “The Aquin,” and graduating with honors in December 1997. He worked with the Associated Press during the “tobacco trial” of 1998, leading to the industry’s historic $206 billion settlement, before moving to Duluth.

Nowacki started as a prep reporter for the News Tribune before moving onto the college ranks, with an emphasis on Minnesota Duluth football, including coverage of the Bulldogs’ NCAA Division II championships in 2008 and 2010.

Nowacki continues to focus on college sports while filling in as a backup on preps, especially at tournament time. He covers the Duluth Huskies baseball team and auto racing in the summer. When time allows, he also writes an offbeat and lighthearted food column entitled “The Taco Stand,” a reference to the “Taco Jon” nickname given to him by his older brother when he was a teenager that stuck with him through college. He has a teenage daughter, Emma.

Nowacki can be reached at jnowacki@duluthnews.com or (218) 380-7027. Follow him on Twitter @TacoJon1.