EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's hockey team opened their season on Saturday as they hosted #13 ranked Augsburg University for a top-15 matchup at Hobs Ice Arena. After a fast start and a last second equalizer,
Tyler Love (Gr. – Pittsburgh, Pa./Moon Area) was the hero of the night with an overtime goal to earn the Blugolds a 5-4 win over the Auggies.
The #14 ranked Blugolds started the game in perfect fashion as
Jack Johnston (Sr. – St. Paul, Minn./St. Paul Academy & Summit School) netted the first goal of the season on a rebound out front just 12 seconds into the contest to earn a 1-0 lead for Eau Claire. The Blugolds weren't done there as
Leo Bacallao (So. – Madison, Wis./Vel Phillips Memorial) ripped home a shot in the top corner on a 2-on-1 at the 2:15 mark extended the lead to 2-0. Augsburg found a pair of rebounds out front before the end of the period as both teams hit the intermission tied at 2-2.
In the second period, the Auggies took their first lead of the night with two goals in the first 14 minutes as the Blugolds' rebound woes continued.
Aaron Swanson (Sr. – Sun Prairie, Wis./East) cut the deficit to one goal in the final 90 seconds of the frame on a rebound of his own to send UWEC into the second intermission with a 4-3 deficit.
Carter Green (So. – Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) and
Quinn Green (Sr. – West Chicago, Ill./St. Charles East) received assists on Swanson's first goal of the season as life poured back into Hobbs Ice Arena.
The Blugolds outshot the Auggies 38-16 during the game and held the offensive advantage in the third with 17 shots. With the goalie pulled in the final minute of play, UW-Eau Claire controlled the puck in the Augsburg zone for the final minute of play.
Quinn Green ripped a shot from the slot and beat the Auggie goalie glove side with six seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 4-4.
Trenten Heyde (So. – Atlanta, Ga./Grayson) earned his first assist in a Blugold sweater on the equalizing goal.
In overtime, both sides found chances early on, but
Tyler Love sealed the win on a tip out front off a
Ryan Green shot to win it for UW-Eau Claire, 5-4.
Max Gutjahr (So. – Appleton, Wis./Kimberly) stopped 12 of the 16 shots he faced to earn his first win of the season. Gutjahr is 1-0 on the season.
The Blugolds (1-0, WIAC 0-0) will hit the road for the first time this season on Friday, November 3
rd when they travel to St. Cloud, Minn. to faceoff with Saint John's University (Minn.). Puck drop from the Municipal Athletic Complex
