EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - The UW-Eau Claire men's hockey team fell to UW-River Falls 2-1 in Friday night's NCHA match-up at the Hobbs Ice Center.

River Falls got on the board first in the opening period, but at the 1:45 mark in the second, Eau Claire's D.J. Clark (Sr.-Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park) scored his second goal of the season to even things up at 1-1. Joe Freund (Fr.-Ayr, Ontario/Southwood) and Eric OHearn (Fr.-Traverse City, Mich./Central) were credited with assists on the play.

With only 30 seconds left in the game, however, River Falls scored a short-handed goal that would hand the Blugolds the 2-1 loss.

The Falcons outshot the Blugolds 31-21 but both teams were 0-2 on power plays. Eau Claire committed four penalties for eight minutes, while River Falls had three for six. Blugold goalie Brandon Stephenson (Fr.-Saline, Mich.) played all but the last ten seconds of the game, collecting 29 saves and allowing both goals.

The Blugolds (2-3-0) will have a shot at redemption, as the Falcons (5-1-0) stay in town for another game with Eau Claire on Saturday night. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7 p.m. at Hobbs Ice Center.