The 2013-2014 schedule for the UWEC Men's Hockey Club is now finalized, and posted under the "Schedule/Results" page. The Blugolds have a 20 game schedule lined up for next season, and also the WCCHA Tournament at the end of the year. 14 of the 20 games are conference games. Saint Mary's University and UW-Oshkosh are two familiar non-conference foes, and Bemidji State University will make it's first appearance against the Blugolds in October. Times and venues will be posted once ice times are finalized in late August/early September.
151 days until the puck drops on the 2013-2014 season!
The Blugold Club Hockey team finished up their season with an invitation to the WCCHA Tournament in early February. The team took on #1 seed Northern Michigan University. The boys played tough, but NMU prevailed 6-1. Early the next morning, UWEC took on Minnesota, a team they swept in Eau Claire earlier in the year. Following a great team effort, UWEC won the game and moved on to the consolation championship, where they'd meet St. Thomas University. A back and forth game ensued, but Marques Surita scored the overtime game winner for the Blugolds.
Following the conference, the team applied for entrance into the WCCHA Conference. It turned out to work out in our favor, as we are now the 8th member of the WCCHA Conference! Being admitted to the conference means for an even more exciting season next year, as the team will be playing for the WCCHA Tournament again, and a spot in the ACHA Regional tournament.
After the disappointing loss to Madison, the boys were ready to host a much more competitive Duluth squad in Chippewa Falls. Despite playing with high intensity, game one started off with Duluth scoring the only goal in the first period. In the second the Blugolds answered back when Austin King scored unassisted early in the period. The teams then traded shots back and forth throughout the game until the Blugolds found themselves down by two late in the third, despite goaltender Max Glaser making some huge saves to keep Eau Claire in the game. Down by two the Blugolds pulled their goalie and Brad Boldenow scored his second of the game with twenty-two seconds remaining. However, it wasn’t enough and the Blugolds fell to the Bulldogs with a score of five to four.
Game two started out with sniper Austin King staying hot getting one in the first from line-mate Jon Roessler. However, the Bulldogs weren’t going quietly and scored the next two going up two to one after the first. The Boldenow boys got it going in the second, Ben and Brad got on the board, but Duluth was equal to the task scoring two and taking a one goal lead going into the final stanza. It was now or never for the Eau Claire boys. Ben Boldneow got a power-play goal early in the third knotting the score at four. Then, Roessler got the go-ahead goal to give the Blugolds their first lead since the first period. With only five minutes left in the game, a win seemed a sure thing. But the Bulldogs answered back, getting a goal a minute later tying the score at five apiece. Overtime seemed inevitable, with seconds remaining Ben Boldneow rushed down the ice and riffled a shot from outside beating the goaltender with eight seconds left, getting the hat trick, game winning goal, and knocking off the No. 2 ranked team in the WCCHA. The Blugolds skate to a split with the score of six to five.
The Eau Claire team headed to Madison for the first time in club hockey history to play the Badgers. The first game began with Madison jumping on the Blugolds early scoring twice in first period. However, defenseman Dan Michaelson got a goal to cut the deficit in half before the first ended. In the second the Blugolds woke up and scored the next four goals in the game. Even though the Blugolds were outshot 45 to 37, stellar goaltending by Ryan Laughlin led the team to an easy six to three victory.
Game two was a different story. The Blugolds came out flat and never got the intensity up. Despite freshman sensation Brad Boldenow getting on the board first ill-timed penalties gave the Badgers the edge. Madison scored two in the first including a dagger of a goal on the power play with seconds left in the period. Andy Mlynar tried to get the boys back in the game with a late second period goal, but it was too little too late. The Blugolds got out shot again, 47 to 36, but this time lost with a score of five to two.
Eau Claire traveled to Winona to play St. Mary’s University early in December. The scoring in the first game started with SMU finding twine early in the first period. Soon after, Mike Preskar answered for the Blugolds getting the puck from line-mate Josh Arcand and Defenseman Marques Surita for the equalizer. Surita then added one more before SMU knotted it up at two to two after the first. Teams traded shots in the second and the score was four to five advantage Blugolds going into the third. Halfway through the third SMU knotted it up at five apiece. Then Defenseman Neil McMillan played hero when he tossed in a top shelf rocket from the point, assisted by Austin King and Andy Mlynar. The Blugolds got out with the win six to five.
The story game two was questionable officiating. After the first period SMU was winning four to three and sixteen penalty minutes had been assessed to both teams, including Luke Pandow getting ejected for a game misconduct. SMU scored two more in the second making the score six to three after two. The questionable officiating and a frustrated Blugold group lead to a full penalty box and SMU running away with an eleven to four final.
The Blugolds headed to Blaine this past weekend to take part in the WCCHA Tournament. As a fill in, they were scheduled with Northern Michigan University for a Friday night game. The boys battled hard, but lost to the #1 seeded team in the conference by a score of 6-1. Next up for the team was the University of Minnesota at 8:30am on Saturday, and they took care of business, winning 7-3 and advancing to the consolation championship. There they met the University of St. Thomas. The game went to the wire, but the Blugolds pulled it out with a 6-5 overtime victory. Full game write ups are coming soon for all second semester games. Next up for the Blugolds is a final series against UW-Superior on February 23rd and 24th at Hobbs in Eau Claire.
The Blugolds have been in action twice so far during the spring semester. The team has earned two splits, one against UW-Madison, and the other against UM-Duluth. Full game write ups are coming soon.
The exciting news for the coming weekend is that the Blugolds have been invited to the WCCHA Tournament in Blaine, MN. This is a conference the team hopes to one day be a part of. The invitation comes as a way to fill an open spot left by an original conference member not be able to participate in the tournament. Nevertheless, the Blugolds are happy to take their game to Blaine on February 8th and 9th to prove their worth against the league's best. The team takes on Northern Michigan University on Friday, February 8th at 7:00pm. Due to be an invited team and not a conference member, the team is not eligible for the championship bracket, and no matter the outcomes against NMU, the team will move on to the consolation bracket. This is a great opportunity for the UWEC Club team to show they belong in the conference. Come support the team as they participate in the tournament!
Coming off a big win against Mankato the Blugolds wanted to keep it rolling against a very competitive Waldorf College team that rolled into Hobbs boasting a record of 9-3-1. The Blugolds would start off hot and get on the board first when Marques Surita found twine early in the first. Soon after Waldorf scored again, knotting things at one a piece after one period of play. Waldorf come out flying in the second scoring twice in the first six minutes of the second. Austin King tried to make things interesting scoring unassisted half-way through the second, but unfortunately for the Blugolds that would be the last time they scored in the contest. Waldorf scored two more times in the second and three times in the third beating the Blugolds eight to two.
Discouraged from last night’s loss and with a short bench due to deer opener and injuries, the Blugolds took the ice for game two against Waldorf. With expectations low, Eau Claire was trying to keep in competitive hockey. In the first the Blugolds found themselves getting on the board first, yet again, when Andy Mlynar got a rare goal. Leading one to none the Blugolds found themselves on the power play late in the first. Then the Boldenow brothers, Brad and Ben, assisted Jon Roessler who sniped the top shelf on a tough angle shot during the man advantage. Going to the locker room after the first period the Blugolds were given new life leading by two. The second period was a battle. Eau Claire was on the power play twice early in the second unable to capitalize. Then it was the Blugolds turn on the penalty kill. Impressive defensive zone play by all four of the Eau Claire defenseman Michaelson, Oungst, Stover and Zitske helped kill the two shorthanded situations in the second. But late in the second Waldorf would not be denied and got on the board right before the break. The score was two to one, advantage Eau Claire, heading into the final period of play. Bodies were flying in the physical last leg of the game. Eau Claire would miss out on another power play opportunity, but played outstanding in the defensive zone. Waldorf pulled their goalie in the last minute of play but it wouldn’t be enough as the Blugolds hung on to hand Waldorf their fourth loss of the year. Eau Claire goaltender Ryan Laughlin played exceptionally well turning away 51 of 52 shots in the contest. Blugolds split the series right before the Thanksgiving Break.
Eau Claire jumped out of the gates early against Mankato on their home ice at
Hobbs. Jack Hoffman scored the first goal for the Blugolds early in the first
and soon after Ben Boldenow got another assisted from little brother Brad. After
that the Blugolds let Mankato back into the game and scored the next four. The
Mavericks and Blugolds then traded goals back and forth. After two it was five
to three Mankato. Mankato scored four more in the third and put the Blugolds
away with a score of nine to four.
The second game was a different story. Josh Arcand started off the scoring in
the first period giving the Blugolds a one to zero lead after one. Jack Hoffman
then made the lead two to zero before Mankato got one late in the second. The
third started off with the Blugolds on the power play and Neil McMillian found
Bob Erickson for a beautiful backdoor goal. Teams traded goals and the score was
four to two advantage Blugolds when a skirmish behind the goal led to Andy
Mlynar, Ben Boldenow and Luke Pandow were ejected along with three Mankato
players. A few penalties put the Blugolds on the penalty kill and goaltender Max
Glaser made some big stops to keep the team in it. Mankato got one more with
time winding down but it wasn’t enough. The Blugolds won four to three and split
the series.
By: Ryan Laughlin
The Blugolds made the long drive down to Milwaukee to play the struggling
Panthers. The first game was all Blugolds and Eau Claire won easily skating to a
fourteen to one victory. Game two was more of the same and the Blugolds skated
to a eleven to zero victory and Max Glaser got his first shutout of the year
turning away all twelve shots.
By: Ryan Laughlin
|
