Cooper’s multi-point night lifts Blugolds over Foresters

Photo by Bill Hoepner, UWEC Photo
Photo by Bill Hoepner, UWEC Photo

By Nick Hoven, UWEC Sports Information

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's hockey team looked to cap off their doubleheader opening weekend with a win against the Lake Forest College Foresters to start the season. Goalie Zach Dyment (So. – Abbotsford, BC/Yale Secondary) looked to improve off his 25 save night and would do so keeping the Foresters to a single goal as the Blugolds would roll on past Lake Forest 3-1.

Box Score

In the first period, the Blugolds would find themselves on the powerplay and their success from the night before carried on overnight. Lucas Kohls (Sr. – Forest Lake, MN) would scoop up a rebound and crack the scoresheet. Andrew McGlynn (St. Louis, MO/Christian Brothers College) and Adam Parsells (So. – Wausau, WI/West) would get credited on the assist and that would be McGlynn's third point in two games since his Blugold debut.

The second period held some good, wholesome hockey as both teams had chances, but the Eau Claire defense played their roles as expected. With just five shots given up over two periods of play, the seven defensemen were in high praise after the game from Head Coach Matt Loen.

When it came to the third period, the ice seemed to tilt towards the visitors as they would control the puck in the Blugold zone for the first couple minutes and get the first three shots of the period. When it came time to respond though, it was the Eau Claire defense stepping up to the call.

Just after 14 minutes expired in the 3rd period, Scott Munro (Vancouver, BC/St. George's) would gather the puck at the point, skate towards the slot, and hit the opening top shelf of the screened Forester goalie. It would be Munro's fifth goal as a Blugold and Steen Cooper (Jr. – Duncan, BC) would record his first assist of the night. The Foresters would answer just 45 seconds later on the powerplay to bring the lead back to one, but the Eau Claire defensive held strong.

Towards the end of the period, Nathan Dingmann (So. – Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) would fight off a couple Lake Forest defenders and earn himself an empty net goal to seal the deal. Cooper would get credit with another assist to earn himself his first multi-point night as a Blugold.

Dyment would finish the game saving 15 of the 16 shots he faced and finished the weekend off with a 2-0-0 record.

The Blugolds will travel to Northland College on Tuesday, October 30th as they look to forget about the woes of last year when they lost both games to the Lumberjacks. Puck drop is scheduled for 7PM. Follow the action on Blugold Game Day or on the 'UWEC Blugolds' app on your mobile device.