EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - The UW-Eau Claire men's hockey team picked up its first victory of the season tonight with a 3-0 win against Augsburg College at the newly renovated Hobbs Ice Center.

The Blugolds (1-2-0) struck early in the game with an even-strength goal from defenseman Nicholas Kuqali (Sr.-Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) at 3:51 with assists from John Kearns (Jr.-Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) and Tim Possehl (Jr.-Fond du Lac, Wis.).

The first period would yield one more even-strength Blugold goal, this time coming from Nic Weight (So.-Eagle River, Wis./Northland Pines) at 10:46 with assists from Eric OHearn (Fr.-Traverse City, Mich./Central) and Skylar Christoffersen (Sr.-Langley, B.C./Brookswood).

The Blugolds put the final nail in the coffin at 6:37 in the third period as Ross Janecyk (Jr.-Grand Rapids, Mich./Catholic Central) found the net with assists from Kurt Weston (Fr.-Roseau, Minn.) and Travis Peckskamp (Fr.-Sauk Rapids, Minn.) to help give the Blugolds the 3-0 win.

The Blugolds outshot Augsburg 38-22 on the night. Tyler Brigl (Sr.-Eagan, Minn./Eastview) played the full 60 minutes between the pipes for the Blugolds and picked up 22 saves while the Auggies' Justin Lochner recorded 35 saves, playing the full 60 minutes.

Up next, Eau Claire will play its second game in a four-game home stand against 10th-ranked Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.), the 2008-09 NCAA Division III national runner-up. The puck is set to hit the ice of Hobbs Ice Center at 7 p.m. tomorrow.