MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (Blugolds.com) – For the second time this season, the 13th-ranked UW-Eau Claire men's hockey team traveled to Augsburg College and defeated the Auggies, this time by a score of 4-1 here tonight at Ed Saugestad Rink.
The Blugolds improve to 9-3-2 overall while the Auggies fall to 6-7-0. Eau Claire has won three games in a row against Augsburg and seven of the last eight meetings between both schools. It is the second road win for the Blugolds over the Auggies this season. Eau Claire defeated Augsburg 3 -1 on November 29, 2014. Since January 12, 2013, the Blugolds are 12-0-2 against schools from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Eau Claire got out to an early lead when Jack Callahan (Sr.-Red Bank, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) scored his second goal in the last two games assisted by Ross Andersen (Sr.-River Falls, WI) at 9:38 of the first period taking a 1-0 lead.
In the second period Andersen also tallied his second goal in the last two nights, scoring at 3:41 assisted by Patrick Moore (So.-Grand Rapids, MN) extending the Blugold lead to 2-0. Andersen is second on the team with 10 goals.
Jake Davidson (Fr.-Duluth, MN/Shattuck St. Mary's) scored his first collegiate goal at 11:04 of the second period assisted by Andersen and Moore giving Eau Claire a 3-0 lead. Both assists by Moore give him a team-leading 12 for the season.
In the third period Preston Hodge (So.-Normal, IL/Oregon) scored his third goal of the season at 7:28 off a power play assisted by Callahan and Todd Koritzinsky (Fr.-Verona, WI/Middleton) running the Blugold lead to 4-0. All three goals scored by Hodge have come off Blugold power plays.
Goalie Jay Deo (So.-Langley, BC) recorded 26 saves in 59:52 of action to earn the win. Deo's season record now stands at 4-2-1.
Eau Claire outshot Augsburg 30-27. The Blugolds converted one-of-six power plays while the Auggies were held scoreless on four attempts. Five penalties were called on Eau Claire for a total of 10 minutes while Augsburg was whistled for seven penalties totaling 17 minutes.
Special team have been special for the Blugolds. Eau Claire has scored a power play goal in five straight games scoring 12 goals on 28 opportunities, good for a conversion rate of 42.9%. Conversely, the Blugold penalty kill unit has now gone eight straight games without allowing a goal killing off 32 power play opportunities during the streak. The Blugolds last allowed a power play goal versus Adrian College on November 21.
The Blugolds return to the road on Saturday, January 17 when they travel to St. Paul, Minnesota to face the University of St. Thomas. The Tommies defeated third-ranked UW-River Falls 3-0 on Friday, January 9. Face-off is set for 7:00 p.m.
-KCM-