By Justin Dade - Sports Information
STEVENS POINT, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - The No. 6 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's hockey team was defeated by No. 4 UW-Stevens Point 3-2 on Friday night at KB Willett Arena in their first meeting of the season.
The two top-10 teams came into this one with near identical records and perfect WIAC records.
The Pointers came out strong early showing their fresher legs after not playing the night before. Lawrence Cornellier made it 1-0 just under four minutes into the first period assisted by Kyle Sharkey.
The Blugolds would gain some momentum toward the end of the period, but would still only muster four shots on goal in the first period.
UW-Stevens Point added another with 13:07 left in the second period on a goal from Austin Kelly to give the Pointers a 2-0 advantage.
Like the period before, the Blugolds would gain momentum toward the end of the period. A penalty on the Pointers gave UW-Eau Claire a crucial power play that they would not waste.
With six minutes left in the period, captain Jake Hopfner (Jr. – Eastpointe, MI) found the back of the net with the man advantage to cut the Pointers' lead in half. Bryan Sinz (Sr. – Anchorage, AK) and Patrick Moore (Sr. – Grand Rapids, MN) earned assists on Hopfner's impressive fifth power-play goal of the season.
UW-Eau Claire would concede on their own power play on a goal scored by Jacob Barber with 12:46 left in the final frame to make it 3-1.
The Blugolds would answer with a short-handed goal of their own with just 2:22 left in the game scored by Adam Knochenmus (Sr. – Roseau, MN) to make it 3-2. Moore got the assist on Knochenmus' goal for his conference-leading 29th point of the season.
UW-Eau Claire would apply pressure in the final two minutes, but were unable to find the equalizer.
The Blugolds would fall to the Pointers in large part due to their struggles in the face-off circle winning just 15 of the 60 total face-offs.
Goaltender Jay Deo (Sr. – Langley, British Columbia) started his 20th straight game and saved 21 of the 24 shots on goal to fall to 13-4-3 for the season.
The Blugolds (13-4-3) will now fall to 0-4 against ranked opponents for the season. They will have a few days off before returning to the ice on Tuesday as they travel to Northfield, MN to take on the St. Olaf Oles.
Follow all the action on Blugold Game Day.
