RIVER FALLS, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – While the UW-Eau Claire men's hockey team got down early and trailed for more than 37 minutes, a goal in the closing minutes gave the sixth-ranked Blugolds a 2-1 win over 10th-ranked UW-River Falls tonight.
River Falls struck first, scoring less than five minutes into the game on a power-play. The Falcons maintained their one-goal lead for more than the next 37 minutes.
In the third period, Patrick Moore (Fr.-Grand Rapids, Minn.) got the Blugolds on the board with a goal at 2:03. He was assisted by Ross Andersen (Jr.-River Falls, Wis.) and Adam Knochenmus (Fr.-Roseau, Minn.).
Then with just 1:15 left in regulation, David Henry (Fr.-Foster City, Calif./Junipero Serra) scored his first collegiate goal to give the Blugolds a one-goal lead and they hung on for the win. Charles Thauwald (So.-Rochester, Minn./Mayo) and Jack Callahan (Jr.-Red Bank, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) assisted on the game-winning goal.
The Blugolds outshot the Falcons 32-26, including a 17-3 margin in the final period. Jay Deo (Fr.-Langley, B.C.) played the entire game in-goal for Eau Claire and stopped 25 shots. He is now 6-0-1 on the season.
Eau Claire ends the regular season with a 17-7-1 record overall, tied for the fourth most wins in school history, and a 6-5-1 mark in conference play, finishing in third place. River Falls is now 15-7-3 overall and 8-4-0 in the WIAC, in first place.
With the No. 3 seed in the WIAC Championship, the Blugolds will now play at No. 2 seed UW-Stevens Point in the semifinals next Friday and Saturday. Both games are slated for 7 p.m.
-KM-