EAU CLAIRE - Missing nine advantages, the UW-Eau Claire hockey team lost 4-1 to Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) rival UW-Stevens Point tonight at Hobbs Ice Arena in the tenth Blugold loss this season.

The scoring started in the second. At 6:14 and at 12:20 the Pointers scored power-play goals for a 2-0 lead. A Blugold advantage led to the third Stevens Point goal of the period as Eau Claire gave up its third shorthanded goal of the year. This came at 13:50.

The Blugolds got on the board at 13:36 in the third off a Chip Dunleavy (Sr.-Littleton, CO/Columbine) shot. Kyle Garner (Jr.-Sun Prairie) and Mike Schneider (Fr.-Owatonna, MN) provided the assists on the power-play strike. Stevens Point added its final tally 17:32 on an advantage of its own.

The shots on goal were relatively even for the game. Eau Claire made 30 with the one making it to the net. Steffan Braunlich (Sr.-Los Angeles, CA/Loyola) was between the pipes for the Blugolds this evening. He made 30 stops on 34 shots on goal.

A key stat on the game was Eau Claire's one for ten in power play chances. The Pointers meanwhile went three for seven. There were 31 penalties overall in the game, which is the most this season in all contests Eau Claire has been in. Eau Claire's team total of 14 is the season-high for the Blugolds as well.

Tonight's victory marks the 24th time in the past 25 meetings between the two that Stevens Point has beaten Eau Claire. It also moves the Pointers to a 7-5-0 record versus all opponents and 3-3-0 in NCHA play. The Blugolds drop to 0-10-3 overall and 0-5-1 against NCHA teams.

This is the last time Eau Claire plays in the 2005 calendar year. The team starts up in the new year on January 6th when it faces St. John's in Collegeville, MN. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m.

Eau Claire-Stevens Point Box Score

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