EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The 14th ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's hockey team played their final regular season home game on Saturday as they concluded their weekend series with UW-River Falls at Hobbs Ice Arena. The two teams scored a pair of goals each in the second period and skated to a 2-2 tie to finish the weekend. UWRF won the shootout and took the extra point on the night.
The opening period found the Blugolds tightening their defense early as River Falls out shot UWEC 13-6. Both teams kept their pace and energy high for the first 20 minutes of play as the two squads battled for important points in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) standings. Neither defense nor goaltender broke in the opening period as the first intermission held a 0-0 hockey game.
In the second, it was
Leo Bacallao (So. – Madison, Wis./Vel Phillips Memorial) opening the scoring for the Blugolds as he went end-to-end and found an opening past the Falcons' netminder for the 1-0 lead. Bacallao's 8
th goal of the season was unassisted as the Blugolds looked to take control in the opening four minutes of the second frame. UWRF answered promptly at the 8:45 mark with a back door tap in goal to even the score at 1-1.
Later in the middle period, UW-Eau Claire found themselves with their first deficit of the evening just over halfway through the frame on another back door pass leading to a goal as the Falcons took a 2-1 lead. The Blugolds had their chances on the powerplay as UWRF was shorthanded three times in the second, but UWEC could not capitalize. With 43 seconds left in the third,
Cade Lemmer (So. – Tomahawk, Wis./Wausau West) continued his offensive weekend with a tip in goal from the slot to even the score at 2-2.
Austin Becker (Jr. – Amery, Wis.) and
Aaron Swanson (Sr. – Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie East) earned assists on Lemmer's third goal of the season as the two teams hit the second intermission tied at 2-2.
Neither squad found the back of the net in the third or overtime periods despite the Blugolds out shooting the Falcons, 11-10. Both teams were given one powerplay chance in the final 25 minutes of play, but both defenses and goalies stood strong to force the 2-2 and begin a shootout for the extra conference point. During the nine rounds of the shootout,
Quinn Green (Sr. – West Chicago, Ill./St. Charles East) was the lone goal scorer for UWEC as the Falcons scored in the first and ninth rounds to steal the point from the home team.
Max Gutjahr (So. – Appleton, Wis./Kimberly) stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced during the 2-2 tie. Gutjahr is now 14-5-1 on the season.
The Blugolds (14-6-2, WIAC 8-1) will have their final regular season pair of games on Friday and Saturday, February 9
th, and 10
th as they travel to UW-Stout for a WIAC weekend series. Puck drop from Fanetti Community Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.
