APPLETON, Wis. (Blugolds.com) — The No. 9 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's hockey team scored three third-period goals to seal a 5-1 victory over Lawrence University Friday night at the Appleton Family Ice Center.
The Blugolds led 2-1 after the second period, but Eau Claire scored twice in the first 9:20 of the final period to break it open.
The first Blugold goal of the season came off the stick of Ethan Nauman (Sr.-Mosinee, WI) with assists from Todd Koritzinsky (So.-Verona, WI/Middleton) and Preston Hodge (Jr.-Normal, IL/Oregon). Two minutes later, Hodge added a goal of his own thanks to an assist by Adam Knochenmus (Jr.-Roseau, MN).
The Vikings notched a goal later in the period to bring Lawrence within a goal but the third period was all Blugolds.
Hodge found the back of the net again, scoring a shorthanded goal with assists from Patrick Moore (Jr.-Grand Rapids, MN) and Garret Clemment (Jr.-Wausau, WI/West).
Clemment then scored on the power play at 9:20 (assists by Moore and Jeff Pauluk (Sr.-Bloomington, MN/Jefferson)) to make it 4-1 while Knochenmus added an unassisted goal to seal the Blugold win.
In the season-opener for both squads, Eau Claire finished with 11 penalties for 33 minutes while the Vikings tallied 10 penalties for 20 minutes.
The Blugolds outshot the Vikings 31-26 while Eau Claire goaltender Tyler Green (Sr.-Noblesville, IN) recorded 24 saves for Eau Claire.
The Blugolds will travel to Aurora, Illinois on Saturday to take on the Spartans at 7 p.m.
