EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (10-5-1) was defeated by Saint John's University (MN) (8-3-3), 6–4, at home. Despite a third-period push with two goals, the Blugolds couldn't overcome the deficit as Saint John's sealed the win with an empty-net goal.
The first period was very evenly matched between both teams, but Saint John's ultimately took a 1-0 lead. The period saw both teams trading shots, with
Max Gutjahr and Jon Howe making several saves to keep the game close. At 17:16, Jacob McPartland found the back of the net unassisted, marking his fourth goal of the season and giving Saint John's a one-goal advantage. Despite several attempts by UW-Eau Claire, the teams went into the first intermission with Saint John's leading 1-0.
The 2nd period began with
Nolan Grier putting UWEC ahead just 32 seconds in with an unassisted goal, his eighth of the season. Saint John's responded at 11:54 when Zach Enebak scored, assisted by Michael Spinner and Rob Christy, giving the Johnnies the lead back. Less than two minutes later, Jordan Larkee netted an unassisted goal for Saint John's, pushing them to a 3-1 lead. The Blugolds narrowed the gap at 3:52 on a power-play goal by
Easton Inglis, assisted by
Logan Ganz, setting the score at 3-2 by the period's end.
Jordan Newpower scored just 21 seconds into the third period for Saint John's, extending their lead to 4-2. UW-Eau Claire responded at 3:02 with a goal from Grier, assisted by
Danny Reis and
Luke Lavery, narrowing the gap to one.
Tyler Herzberg then tied the game at 4-4 at 9:43 with a goal assisted by Ganz and
Andrew Hayek. However, Newpower delivered the game-winning goal on a power play at 18:32, assisted by George Moore III and Jackson Borst, giving Saint John's a 5-4 lead. Jackson Bisson added an empty-net goal with nine seconds remaining, sealing a 6-4 victory for Saint John's.
Grier scored twice, contributing significantly to the team's offensive effort. Ganz provided two assists, playing a key role in setting up scoring opportunities. Inglis recorded a power-play goal, marking a pivotal moment in the game. Herzberg also found the back of the net, adding to the team's tally.
The Blugolds hold a 10-5-1 overall record following their recent performance. Saint John's stands at 8-3-3 overall after the victory.
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