HANCOCK, Mich. - Chip Dunleavy (Jr. -Littleton, CO/Columbine) tallied a goal and three assists as the UW-Eau Claire men's hockey team scored its sixth straight win, an 8-2 thrashing of Finlandia (MI) here today in Michigan.

The Blugolds improve to 7-3-0 after starting the season with just one win in their first four games. The Lions drop to 4-6-0 for the season.

Eau Claire got the scoring started 5:43 into the first period, when Phil Cherneski (Sr.-Thompson, MAN/RDPC) took a pass from Dunleavy and found the back of the net for a 1-0 Blugold lead. The same combination of Dunleavy to Cherneski struck again just 23 seconds later, when Cherneski tallied his second goal of the game and eighth of the season for a 2-0 lead.

The Lions tied the game at two with a pair of goals early in the second period, but it was all Blugolds after that. Ben Manny (Sr.-Chippewa Falls/Chi-Hi) scored the game-winner midway through the second period to give Eau Claire a 3-2 lead. Just more than three minutes later Dunleavy dealt a devastating blow to Finlandia, scoring a short-handed and turning a Lion power play into a 4-2 Blugold advantage.

Rob Ouimette (Sr.-Iron Bridge, ONT/Leamington District) made it a three-goal lead as he found the back of the net with six minutes left in the second period.

Eau Claire added three more goals in the third period, with the tallies coming from Andy Klapperick (Jr.-Austin, MN), Manny and Ouimette in that order. The goal by Ouimette was his team-leading 10th of the year. Dunleavy earned his third assist of the game on the final goal of the contest.

The Blugolds held a 43-29 shot advantage for the game while limiting Finlandia to just 1-for-9 on power play opportunities.

Dunleavy, Cherneski and Ouimette were named the three stars of the game.

The Blugolds begin conference action next Friday, when they host UW-River Falls at 7:05 p.m. at Hobbs Ice Arena. Eau Claire will host UW-Stout the following night, also at 7:05 p.m.

Eau Claire-Finlandia Box Score

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