EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - Powered by a five-goal second period, the UW-Eau Claire men's hockey team opened the 2010-11 season with a crushing 6-2 victory over Lawrence University (Wis.) tonight at Hobbs Ice Center.

Lawrence struck first, going up 1-0 on a power-play 4:49 into the first period. But the Blugolds dominated in the second, with Tim Possehl (Sr.-Fond du Lac, Wis.) – assisted by Jared Williams (Fr.-West Chicago, Ill./Bartlett) and Ross Janecyk (Sr.-Grand Rapids, Mich./Catholic Central) – nailing the Blugolds' first goal of the year at the 3:11 mark. Within the next 11 minutes, the Blugolds transformed the 1-1 game into a dominating 5-1 showing. Goals by Isaiah Bennis (So.-Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial) and Andrew Wilcox (Jr.-Rochester, Minn./Century), followed by back-to-back scores by Janecyk, gave the Blugolds the 5-1 lead.

Eau Claire pushed even further ahead in the third. Bennis, assisted by Kurt Weston (So.-Roseau, Minn.) and Travis Peckskamp (So.-Sauk Rapids, Minn.), converted another power-play into a goal for the Blugolds with 17:00 minutes remaining in the game. The Vikings managed another goal midway through the period, but Eau Claire skated to its first win of the season.

Brandon Stephenson (So.-Saline, Mich.) guarded the Blugold goal the entire 60 minutes and made 24 saves, 14 in the third period alone. Eau Claire fired over double the number of shots of Lawrence, outshooting the Vikings 55-26.

Next up, the Blugolds will travel to play Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) next Friday. The game is set to begin at 7 p.m.