Justin Dade – Sports Information
SAINT PAUL, Minn. (Blugolds.com) – The No. 5 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's hockey topped the Pipers of Hamline University 5-4 in overtime on Friday night at Oscar Johnson Arena to win their seventh game in a row.
After cracking the top five in the national polls, the Blugolds were pushed to their limit in a physical road test with the Pipers.
The Blugolds dominated puck possession early in the first period, but would concede first in this one on a goal scored by Cody Bentzel at the 8:49 mark of the first period to give the Pipers the 1-0 advantage.
UW-Eau Claire would answer late in the period on Kyle Lee's (Jr. - Wausau, WI) fourth goal of the season unassisted with less than three minutes left to tie it up at 1-1.
The Blugolds had a sizable 14-7 lead in shots on goal in the period and split face-off wins 15-15.
After five total penalties in the first period, things got ugly in a second period that featured eight total penalties including two game misconducts.
Midway through the second period, a five-minute major penalty committed by the Blugolds would lead to a power-play goal scored by Russ Jordan to make it 2-1 with 9:48 left in the period.
Despite giving up the one goal, the Blugolds limited the damage by killing off the rest of the major penalty to only trail by one.
UW-Eau Claire found new life as Patrick Moore (Sr. – Grand Rapids, MN) found a loose puck in front of the net and buried it to tie it up 2-2 with 6:18 left in the second period. Bryan Sinz (Sr. – Anchorage, AK) and Adam Knochenmus (Sr. – Roseau, MN) were credited with the assists on the goal.
The Pipers would commit a five-minute major penalty of their own shortly after the Moore goal on a contact to the head penalty to put them shorthanded for five minutes.
The Blugolds would strike twice in the five-minute span.
UW-Eau Claire regained the lead on their first goal of the man advantage scored by Garret Clemment (Sr. – Wausau, WI) assisted by Knochenmus and Moore to make it 3-2 with 2:47 left in the period.
Knochenmus would earn his third point of the period on a power-play goal of his own just one 1:47 later assisted by Colton Wolter (Jr. – Fairbanks, AK) and Adam Kleven (Fr. – Peoria, AZ) to give the Blugolds a 4-2 lead heading into the second intermission.
The Pipers would not go away in the third period as they scored two goals in the final frame to knot things all up at four in a game that would need to be decided in overtime.
Wolter would be the hero in the extra session as he found the back of the net just over two minutes into the overtime period assisted by Lee and Mac Jansen (Jr. – White Bear Lake, MN).
Goaltender Jay Deo (Sr. - Langley, British Columbia) made his 12th straight start and saved 20 of the 24 shots he faced in the win to improve to 9-1-2 on the season.
Knochenmus' return from injury has helped refuel the offense with this three-point night after leading the team in goals a season ago
The Blugolds (9-1-2) will look to look to extend their winning streak tomorrow night as they travel to St. Peter to take on Gustavus Adolphus.
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