EAU CLAIRE - The UW-Eau Claire men's hockey team nearly upended second-ranked St. Norbert in the third period, rallying from a 4-2 deficit but falling by a score of 5-4 here tonight at Hobbs Ice Arena.

The Blugolds drop to 8-9-3 on the season and 1-6-2 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association play while the Green Knights improve to 16-2-2 overall and 8-0-1 in NCHA action.

Eau Claire jumped to a quick lead as Dave Coleman (So.-Whitby, ONT/Leo J. Austin) scored a power play goal just 20 seconds into the first period. Rob Ouimette (Sr.-Iron Bridge, ONT/Leamington District) and Phil Cherneski (Sr.-Thompson, MAN/RDPC) assisted on the goal.

The Green Knights didn't take long to answer the Blugold tally, tying the game 3:39 later and then going ahead 2-1 6:31 into the first period. The goal was the last of the period and the Blugolds took a one goal deficit into the first intermission.

As they had done in the first period, the Blugolds found the back of the net early in the second period as well. This time it was Ouimette taking a pass from Coleman for the goal just 37 seconds into the period to tie the game at two. Eau Claire was unable to keep the game tied for long, as St. Norbert scored two goals within the next six minutes to take a 4-2 lead into the third period.

Eau Claire made a game of it in the final period, led by Brooks Lockwood (So.-Hudson) who made the score 4-3 five minutes into the period. Ben Manny (Sr.-Chippewa Falls/Chi-Hi) and Lockwood charged down the ice on a 2-on-1 breakaway and Manny fed Lockwood beautifully for the goal. Zack Tesar (Fr.-Waterloo, NE/Butte) also earned an assist on the play. After another quick St. Norbert response to make the score 5-3, Pete Eloranta (Sr.-River Falls) found the back of the net with a beautiful backhand to bring Eau Claire within one with 8:16 left to play. The St. Norbert defense held tight the rest of the way and the Blugolds took a 5-4 loss to the second-ranked Green Knights.

Less than one week after St. Norbert held the Blugolds to just nine shots in a 5-2 game, Eau Claire came out with 21 shots on goal in tonight's contest. Steffan Braunlich (Jr.-Playa del Rey, CA/Loyola) made 52 saves for the Blugolds but the Green Knights' peppered him with 57 shots on the night.

The Blugolds will be back in action tomorrow night when they host Lake Forest at 7:05 p.m. at Hobbs Ice Arena.

Eau Claire - St. Norbert Box Score

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