EAU CLAIRE - The UW-Eau Claire men's hockey team erased a two-goal deficit in the third period but fell 5-4 in overtime to Hamline University here tonight at Hobbs Ice Arena.

The Blugolds fall to 1-3-0 on the season while the Pipers improve to 1-1-0 overall.

Hamline started the scoring less than five minutes into the contest when Griffin Kilby rebounded a shot that sailed left of the net and scored a wrap-around goal to give the Pipers a 1-0 lead.

The Blugolds responded just more than four minutes later on a Rob Ouimette (Sr.-Iron Bridge, ONT/Leamington District) wrap-around goal to tie the game. Sean Clark (Jr.-Royal Oak, MI/Brother Rice) and Dan Lohr (So.-Madison/Middleton) each earned assists on the goal.

The Pipers regained the lead with 6:56 remaining in the first period when Ryan Manke scored on a deflected shot from the point. Again the Blugolds would respond, this time on a Chip Dunleavy (Jr.-Littleton, CO/Columbine) short-handed goal. Dunleavy rebounded a shot by Kyle Garner (So.-Sun Prairie) and found the back of the net to tie the contest.

The second period belonged to the Pipers as they scored two goals to take a 4-2 lead. As they had done all night, the Blugolds bounced back in the third period. Dunleavy tallied his second goal of the night 5:05 into the third with assists coming from Dave Coleman (So.-Whitby, ONT/Leo J. Austin) and Ouimette.

Eau Claire tied the game with 8:20 remaining in the game when Coleman found the back of the net to thrill the crowd. Ouimette again recorded an assist, along with Dunleavy.

The Blugolds and Pipers skated the remainder of regulation without a goal but Hamline ended the game 1:09 into overtime on a goal by Manke, his second of the night.

The Blugolds were out-shot 42-39 for the contest while tallying 15 penalties for 38 minutes to the Pipers' 14 for 28.

Eau Claire will look to get back into the win column next Friday when they travel to St. Peter, Minn., to battle Gustavus. Face off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Eau Claire-Hamline Box Score

- DN -