EAU CLAIRE - The UW-Eau Claire women's hockey team erased a 2-1 deficit in the third period and emerged with a 4-2 win over Finlandia (MI) in the final game of the regular season here tonight at Hobbs Ice Arena.

The Blugolds finish the regular season with a record of 14-8-1 and a conference mark of 4-5-1. The 14 wins improves the team's single season wins record, topping last year's total of 10. The Blugolds will battle top-seeded Stevens Point next Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association semifinals. Finlandia ends the season with a record of 3-17-1 and a conference record of 0-9-1.

The Blugolds got on the board first when Amanda Schultz (Jr.-Stevens Point/SPASH) found the back of the net on the power play 11:52 into the first period. Assists on the goal came from Karen Hebert (So.-Lakeville, MN/Holy Angels) and Crystal Wasem (Jr.-Chaska, MN).

The Lions tied the game at one less than five minutes later and notched the only goal of the second period for a 2-1 lead heading into the third. The Blugolds were up to the task, scoring three unanswered goals in the final period for the win. Just 2:20 into the period, Tara Hayner (So.-Stillwater, MN) tied the game at two with her first goal of the evening. Claire Parda (Jr.-Waukesha/Catholic Memorial) scored the game-winning goal 4:20 later for the last lead the Blugolds would need.

Any chance of a Lion comeback was cast asunder when Hayner scored her second goal of the night, a power play tally with less than four minutes remaining in the game.

The Blugolds had a decisive advantage in shots on goal, peppering the Lions with 41 shots on goal while facing just 26. Jill Arendt (Fr.-Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) earned the win in net for Eau Claire, making 24 saves on the night.

Eau Claire begins the NCHA playoffs next Saturday when they battle Stevens Point at 7:00 p.m.

Eau Claire-Finlandia Box Score

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