STEVENS POINT, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The #11 ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's hockey team was on the road Saturday afternoon as they concluded their weekend series with the UW-Stevens Point Pointers at K.B. Willett Arena. The Blugolds earned the weekend sweep over the Pointers with five goals from five different skaters and another shutout from
Alexa Backmann (Fr. – Saint Michael, Minn./Rogers) to earn their sixth Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) win of the season.
Hattie Verstegen (Sr. – Oshkosh, Wis./Oshkosh North) and the Blugolds wasted no time finding their opening goal of the day as Verstegen redirected a centering pass from
Samantha Bandholz (Jr. – Richfield, Wis./Slinger) in the first three minutes of the game. Verstegen recorded her eighth goal of the season and Bandholz earned her tenth assist of the season as UWEC took control early in the first period. Both teams battled hard for the remainder of the opening frame as Eau Claire took their one goal lead in to the first intermission.
The second period saw the contest's first powerplay opportunity as UWEC looked to add to their lead early in the middle frame. The Blugolds weren't able to capitalize on their first of three player advantage situations as they finished the day without scoring on the powerplay. Eau Claire returned the favor on the penalty kill as UWSP failed to light the lamp on the three penalties called on the Blugolds.
Ava Johansson (Fr. – Rogers, Minn.) extended the Blugold lead just before the halfway mark of the second with her first career goal in a Blugold sweater on a loose puck out front, making it 2-0.
Quinn Hartmetz (Jr. – Phoenixville, Pa./Gilmour Academy) and
Kenzie Keller (Fr. – Mankato, Minn./Mankato East) recorded assists on Johansson's goal as UWEC remained dominant in the offensive zone. Just before the end of the period,
Sydney Johnson (Sr. – Apple Valley, Minn.) rifled home her fourth goal of the season with 0.3 seconds left on the clock, giving the Blugolds a 3-0 lead into the second intermission.
In the final period,
Sophie Rausch (Sr. – Fergus Falls, Minn.) recorded her second goal of the weekend in the opening minute of play to extend the Eau Claire lead to 4-0. Rausch's team leading 20
th goal of the year was assisted by
Ava Bullert and put Rausch second in the WIAC in scoring. In the final seconds of play and shorthanded,
Keira Bolt (So. – Boise, Idaho) found puck in the offensive zone and netted her second goal of the season on an empty net to seal the 5-0 victory for the Blugolds.
Alexa Backmann (Fr. – Saint Michael, Minn./Rogers) stopped all 23 shots she faced to earn her 7
th win of the season and second shutout of the season. Backmann is now 7-2-0 on the year.
The Blugolds (15-4-0, WIAC 6-1-0) will faceoff with UW-Stevens Point one last time on Saturday, January 27
th. Puck drop from K.B. Willett Arena
