SUPERIOR, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - The UW-Eau Claire men's hockey team tied the 15th-ranked UW-Superior tonight 2-2 at Wessman Arena.

The tie tonight keeps the Blugolds (2-3-2 overall) in fifth in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association with a record of 0-1-2. The Yellowjackets sit one place behind the Blugolds with an overall record of 3-2-1 and a 0-2-1 conference record.

UW-Superior notched the first goal of the game in the first period at 4:35 off of a power-play to give them the lead. The Blugolds responded later in the period, however, with a power-play goal of their own from D.J. Clark (Sr.-Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park) at 17:24 with assists from Tyler Weigel (Sr.-Madison, Wis./Oregon) and John Kearns (Jr.-Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South).

The second period yielded only one goal for the Yellowjackets to put them in the lead, 2-1.

As Superior appeared to be on its way to its first conference victory, the Blugolds' Isaiah Bennis (Fr.-Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial) scored the equalizer off of a power play with less than two and a half minutes left in the third period with assists from Brant Marple (Sr.-Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) and Joe Bluhm (Sr.-Red Wing, Minn.).

With neither team scoring in overtime, the Blugolds picked up their second tie of the year, with the first coming against UW-River Falls last Saturday.

Eau Claire and Superior were equally matched offensively on the night with each team recording 24 shots.  Eau Claire won the penalty battle on the night, recording just four penalties for eight minutes while Superior totaled six for 12 minutes.

Brandon Stephenson (Fr.-Saline, Mich.) defended the Blugold net for the entire night, allowing two goals and recording 22 saves.

Tonight's game is the first of two meetings between the rival teams. The Blugolds will take on the Yellowjackets again tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at the Wessman Arena.