NORTHFIELD, Minn. (Blugolds.com) – The ninth ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's hockey team was back in action on Friday evening after their holiday break. UW-Eau Claire traveled to Southwest Minnesota to faceoff with the St. Olaf Oles in their first contest of 2024. Despite an early goal from
Connor Szmul (Sr. – Castle Rock, Colo./Castle View), the Blugolds fell 3-2 on the road.
The Blugolds picked up where they left off in 2023 as
Connor Szmul (Sr. – Castle Rock, Colo./Castle View) found the first goal of the game on a rebound out in front of the net just over halfway through the first period.
Quinn Green (Sr. – West Chicago, Ill./St. Charles East) and Treten Heyde (So. – Atlanta, Ga./Grayson) earned assists on Szmul's fourth goal of the season as the Blugolds converted on their first powerplay of the evening. The early UWEC lead held strong for a majority of the opening frame until the Oles struck back in the final minute to send both teams into the locker rooms tied at 1-1.
The second period saw continued fast play between the two nonconference opponents as both teams looked to find an edge. St. Olaf beat the Blugolds to Tomahawk, Wis./Wausau West). Lemmer disrupted the Ole breakout and fed Swanson in the middle to even the score at 2-2. Swanson's third goal of the season held just the single assist to Lemmer.
Puck luck went against Eau Claire just past the halfway mark of the frame after a shot bounced off the glass and landed at the feet of a wide-open Ole as St. Olaf retook their one goal lead with 9:04 left in the period. The Blugolds battled hard and found chances on multiple powerplay chances before the second intermission, but the home team kept their one goal lead into the final period of the night.
In the third, UW-Eau Claire outshot the Oles 10-5 as they searched for another equalizer.
Colin Stein (Jr. – Pewaukee, Wis./Catholic Memorial) led UWEC all night with 4 shots on goal and three blocked shots. Scoring opportunities with the goalie pulled were unsuccessful as Eau Claire fell for the fifth time this season, 3-2.
Max Gutjahr (So. – Appleton, Wis./Kimberly) stopped 21 of the 24 shots he faced in his fifth loss of the season. Gutjahr is now 7-5-0 on the year.
The Blugolds (8-5-1, WIAC 4-3) will jump back on the road for another nonconference matchup on Saturday, January 6
th when they travel to Winona, Minn. to faceoff with Saint Mary's University. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at SMU Ice Arena.
