EAU CLAIRE - The UW-Eau Claire men's hockey team lost its second straight game and ninth this season as UW-Superior defeated the Blugolds 2-1 tonight.

Defense ruled the first two scoreless periods. The Yellowjackets outshot Eau Claire 20-6 in the first and then the Blugolds outshot Superior 10-9 in the second.

The early part of the third period made up for the first two periods as all scores came by the seven minute mark. The Yellowjackets started off with a power-play goal 2:45 into the third. Wasting no time, Superior extended its lead at 3:18 on an evenhanded strike. At 6:58 Eau Claire answered back on an even-sided goal but it was all the Blugolds could muster as the team fell in defeat.

Dan Fina (Fr.-Fontana/Glenbard South, IL) scored the lone Blugold goal while Chip Dunleavy (Sr.-Littleton, CO/Columbine) provided the assist.

Goalie Steffan Braunlich (Sr.-Los Angeles, CA/Loyola) stopped 37 of the 39 shots he saw tonight. The Superior goalie made 26 saves on the 27 Blugold shots.

The home team had five power-play chances but failed to score on any. The Yellowjackets had six with one goal.

Superior has spelled trouble for Eau Claire the past decade. The Yellowjackets have beaten the Blugolds 23 of the past 24 contests, but Eau Claire will have one more chance this season when the team travels north on January 27th. Eau Claire is 31-63-3 all-time versus Superior.

Eau Claire is 0-9-3 overall and 0-5-1 in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) this season. Superior is 7-3-1 and 2-1-1 in each category.

The Blugolds finish up the six game homestand next Friday when they face UW-Stevens Point at 7:00 p.m. in Hobbs Ice Center.

Eau Claire-Superior Box Score

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