By Justin Dade - Sports Information
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - The No. 14 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's hockey team took on the Finlandia Lions for the second straight night and earned the sweep winning 4-1 on Sunday night at Hobbs Ice Arena.
After winning in dominant fashion over Finlandia the night before, the Blugolds got back to business in this one controlling the puck for most of the night finishing with 60 total shots on goal in the win.
It looked like it was going to be a scoreless first period until Colton Wolter (Sr. – Fairbanks, AK) got things started for the Blugolds on his second goal of the season with less than two minutes left to make it 1-0. The power-play goal was assisted by Adam Parsells (Fr. – Wausau, WI) and Johnny Mueller (Jr. - St. Peters, MO). UW-Eau Claire would hold a dominant 21-8 lead in shots on goal after one period of play.
Things would get physical in a second period that saw nine total penalties called including a game misconduct on Michael Chuinard of Finlandia.
Kyle Lee (Sr. – Wausau, WI) extended his point streak to three games with his second goal of the season nearly halfway through the period to make it 2-0. Lucas Kohls (Jr. – Forest Lake, MN) and Scott Munro (So. – Vancouver, BC) continued their strong weekend earning the two assists on the goal.
Wolter would add his second of the game to make it 3-0 with 4:48 left in the second period assisted by Nathan Dingmann (Fr. – Plymouth, MN).
Despite not being able to take advantage of the multiple power-play opportunities, the Blugolds would take the 3-0 lead into the second intermission leading 41-13 in shots on goal.
Braxton Collins (Fr. – Eau Claire, WI) skated in his second game as a Blugold and found the back of the net to make it 4-0 unassisted just over five minutes into the final period.
UW-Eau Claire would concede a late power-play goal scored by Matt Benolkin to erase the shutout making it 4-1.
The Blugolds would go on to win 4-1 finishing with the 60-15 lead in shots on goal in another dominant performance.
Between the two games this weekend the Blugolds outscored the Lions 9-2 and finished with a devastating edge in shots on goal (117-34).
Goaltender Camden Haugenoe (Fr. - Williston, ND) returned to the crease for the Blugolds after taking the previous night off. The freshman netminder saved 14 of the 15 shots he faced on the night to improve to 6-3.
The Blugolds (7-3-0) will look to use this three-game winning streak to propel them into WIAC play. UW-Eau Claire has a date with rival UW-Stout on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in Menomonie.
Follow all the action on Blugold Game Day.
