EAU CLAIRE - The UW-Eau Claire men's hockey team opened a 2-0 lead but allowed four unanswered goals and three power play goals, resulting in a 5-3 loss to No. 4 UW-River Falls here tonight at Hobbs Ice Arena.

The loss snaps Eau Claire's six game win streak and is the first loss for the Blugolds since November 6. Eau Claire drops to 7-4-0 on the season while the Falcons improve to 6-1-2 overall. The game was the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener for both teams.

Ben Manny (Sr.-Chippewa Falls/Chi-Hi) got the scoring started early, tallying an unassisted goal just 1:23 into the game for a 1-0 Blugold advantage. Less than four minutes later Eau Claire struck again. This time it was Rob Ouimette (Sr.-Iron Bridge, ONT/Leamington District) who found the back of the net, taking advantage of a Blugold power play. Steve Dus (So.-Onalaska) and Chip Dunleavy (Jr.-Littleton, CO/Columbine) earned assists on the play.

The Falcons got on the board just more than half way through the opening period, when Matt Jackson scored a power play goal to cut the Blugold lead in half.

Neither team found the back of the net the remainder of the first period or most of the second period. It wasn't until the 18:22 mark of the second when the Falcons tied the score with an even-strength goal from Jackson, his second of the night. River Falls widened the lead to 4-2 with a pair of goals early in the third, including the Falcons second power play goal of the night. Dave Coleman (So.-Whitby, ONT/Leo J. Austin) pulled the lead back to one as he tallied a goal 7:40 into the third period but another penalty cost the Blugolds a chance at a comeback victory. With nine minutes remaining in the contest the Falcons took advantage of a power play opportunity, netting their third power play goal of the night to finish the scoring at 5-3.

River Falls finished the game 3-for-8 on power play opportunities while the Blugolds were 1-for-5.

Eau Claire will look to start a new win streak tomorrow night, when they host UW-Stout at 7:05 p.m. at Hobbs Ice Arena.

Eau Claire-River Falls Box Score

- DN -