It wasn't a win, but it was progress. On Friday night at Dunn County Arena, the 'Jackets put forth their best all-around effort in months, and in the end they were rewarded with a little somethin' for the effort - a point. For some, not that noteworthy. But for a group that hasn't picked up an NCHA point in nearly two months, it could be just what they need to turn the tide and start a run toward the post-season.

The 'Jackets fell behind three times in the game, and three times they came back to tie it. The last coming on Thomas Erlacher's (Fr. Brunico, Italy) fifth goal of the season with 90 seconds to play, leading the 'Jackets to a 3-3 overtime deadlock against UW-Stout.

The last three games have all seen the 'Jackets improve, with Friday's game the best yet. With five games left to play, three of which are at home, the 'Jackets have time to ramp up their play and make some noise down the stretch.

Stout scored the only goal of the first period. Joel Gaulrapp picked up the puck in his own zone, weaved through traffic in the neutral zone, and then fed Scott Motz going down the left wing, who fired a wrister that beat Bryan Dalbec (So. Superior, Wisconsin) on the glove side to make it 1-0 with 2:52 to play in the first period.

In the second, the 'Jackets tied it on the power play when Jesse Junkermeier (Jr. Minnetonka, Minnesota) fed a pass out front to Talon Berlando (Jr. Drumheller, Alberta) who was denied on his first chance, but got his own rebound and put it home to tie the game at 1-1. Berlando's 11th goal of the season came at 12:49. Logan Isley (Jr. Bonnyville, Alberta) also assisted. But the excitement of the play was short-lived. Just 13 seconds after the game was tied, Stout regained the lead. In the defensive zone, the 'Jackets got out of position and Branden Gay took the puck off the left wing boards to the high slot and let a shot go that got past Dalbec to make it 2-1.

The 'Jackets would come back to tie the game again at 5:42 of the third period. Tyler Fletcher (Sr. Calgary, Alberta), who hadn't scored in seven games, chipped the puck past a defender to the right corner. He won the race to the puck and made a move strong to the net, sliding it under Stout goaltender Tom Lescovich for his ninth of the year and it was 2-2. Kyle Leahy (Fr. Fort St. John, British Columbia) had the lone assist. Stout would take the lead again late in the game on a controversial goal. The Blue Devils were breaking out of their zone and while skating through center, Danny Ryan kicked the skates out from underneath Fletcher, who was backing up toward his blue line. Gay then weaved through the neutral zone, created a 2-on-1, and fed a pass over to the left to Ryan who one-timed it past Dalbec to make it 3-2 at 15:10. This set the stage for Erlacher's heroics. Josh Seifert (Sr. Superior, Wisconsin) intercepted a centering pass in the Yellowjacket zone and started the transition. He dumped the puck into the Stout zone, where Josh Kesler (Fr. Naperville, Illinois) picked it up in the right corner. He made a push pass behind the net to Justin Faryna (Fr. Calgary, Alberta) who attempted a wraparound, but had the puck roll off his stick. Fortunately, it went right to Erlacher who put it past Lescovich to tie the game.

The 'Jackets held a territorial advantage for the first two periods, but Stout chewed into that in the third period and overtime, outshooting the 'Jackets 16-7 during that time and 40-32 for the game. Dalbec finished with 37 saves and has 77 stops in his last two appearances. Lescovich finished with 29 stops.

In the game, the 'Jackets were called for seven penalties for 14 minutes, including two in the overtime. Stout took six penalties for 12 minutes, one of which came in the overtime. The 'Jackets went 1-4 on the power play, and Stout was 0-5. The perfect game on the penalty kill ended a stretch where the 'Jackets gave up at least one power play goal in nine of their last ten games, including multiple power play goals in the last three games.

The 'Jackets will close out the road trip with a game on Saturday at at W.H. Hunt Arena against River Falls. The Falcons, who swept a series at Wessman Arena to open the season, lost to St. Scholastica on Friday night by a 6-0 score. Game time on Saturday is 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 on the web at www.ifan.tv. Jon Garver will have the call.