Men’s Hockey Falls at St. Thomas

Men’s Hockey Falls at St. Thomas

MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. (Blugolds.com) – The 12th-ranked UW-Eau Claire men's hockey team overcame a 2-0 deficit to tie the game but was unable to take the lead as the Blugolds fell to St. Thomas 3-2 here tonight at St. Thomas Ice Arena.

Box Score

The Blugolds fall to 9-4-2 overall while the Tommies improve to 8-3-3 on the season.  The loss snaps a five-game winning streak for the Blugolds and a four-game winning streak over the Tommies.  The game also ended a 14-game unbeaten streak by the Blugolds over schools from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).  The Tommies are receiving votes in the latest USCHO.com NCAA Division III National Poll.

In an action-filled first period St. Thomas scored goals at 7:15 and 8:38 to take a 2-0 lead.  The first Tommie goal was scored off a power play and was the first power play goal allowed by the Blugolds in nine games.  The last power play goal allowed by the Blugolds came on November 21 against 8th-ranked Adrian College of Michigan.

Eau Claire answered the St. Thomas run when Ross Andersen (Sr.-River Falls, WI) scored at 13:25 of the first period assisted by Adam Knochenmus (So.-Roseau, MN) and Jack Callahan (Sr.-Red Bank, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) cutting the lead to 2-1.  Andersen has now scored a goal in four-straight games.

Just 73 seconds later Jason Eddy (So.-Woodbury, MN) scored his third goal of the year assisted by Chris Fischer (So.-Apple Valley, MN) and RJ Majkozak (Fr.-White Bear Lake, MN) tying the game at 2-2.

After a scoreless second period the Tommies scored the eventual game-winning goal at 15:19 of the third period and the Blugolds were unable to tie the game before time expired.

Goalie Tyler Green (Jr-Noblesville, IN) saved 37 shots on goal for the Blugolds in 59:03 of action.  His season record now stands at 5-2-1.

Eau Claire was outshot by St. Thomas 40-28.  The Blugolds were whistled for three minor infractions while the Tommies were called for just one penalty on the evening.  St. Thomas went one-for-two off power play opportunities while Eau Claire did not receive have a power play as the lone Tommie penalty was called in conjunction with a Blugold penalty.

The Blugolds return to the ice next Friday, January 23 when they travel to Hunt Arena to face fourth-ranked UW-River Falls.  Face-off is set for 7:00 p.m.

-KCM-