Posted: Feb 06, 2016
By: Justin Dade – UWEC Sports Information
TEMPE, Ariz. (Blugolds.com) – The No. 8 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's hockey team finished their road trip in the desert with their second consecutive 3-3 tie with the Arizona State Sun Devils on Saturday night at Oceanside Ice Arena.
After a hard fought battle the night before, the Blugolds came to play once more on Saturday night against the Division 1 Sun Devils to earn another 3-3 tie led by Patrick Moore (Jr. – Grand Rapids, MN) who contributed two key assists and won over half of his faceoff attempts on the night.
The Blugolds were able to score first unlike the previous evening on a goal just over halfway through the period scored by T.J. Stuntz (So. – Austin, TX) assisted by Jake Hopfner (So. – Eastpointe, MI) to give UW-Eau Claire the 1-0 edge.
The lead didn't last long however, as the Sun Devils knotted it up 1-1 just 43 seconds later on a goal scored by Ryan Ostertag.
Arizona State added another with 6:51 left to go in the first period on a power-play goal from Liam Norris to give the Sun Devils a 2-1 lead that would hold until the third period. Shots on goal after two periods were a tight 17-16 in favor of the Arizona State.
The Blugolds got a much needed spark to begin the third period on a goal 56 seconds into the period scored by Lucas Kohls (So. – Forest Lake, MN) assisted by Moore and Jesse Tredinnick (So. – Onalaska, WI) to tie the game back up 2-2.
The Sun Devils regained the lead just under five minutes later on a goal from Joe Lappin to send the score to 3-2.
The Blugolds got another answer from leading goal scorer Adam Knochenmus (Jr. - Roseau, MN) with 11:29 left in the third period as he buried his 18th goal of the season assisted again by Moore to tie the score back up at 3-3.
Just like the previous evening, both teams had many scoring chances in the rest of regulation time and in overtime, but were unable to produce the deciding goal.
Goaltender Jay Deo (Jr. – Langley, BC) got his first start since Jan. 9 and played rather well saving
22 of the 25 shots he faced in the game. With the tonight's draw, Deo's record will head to 4-1-2 on the season.
The Blugolds (13-5-5, 3-2-1 WIAC) will look to use these draws on the road against a Division 1 opponent to propel them forward for the final push in WIAC play. UW-Eau Claire will be back in action next Friday night for senior night as the Blugolds take on UW-Superior at home. The puck will drop at Hobbs Ice Arena at 7 p.m.