Senior forward Kyle Geiger was getting ready for another year of fighting on the ice this season when he learned his sister would be undergoing a much larger fight. Amber Johnson, Geiger’s older sister, learned three weeks after her 31st birthday she had stage 3A invasive ductal carcinoma, breast cancer. Johnson, born and raised in Antigo, Wisconsin is married with a two-year-old son and an eight-month-old daughter. She will be undergoing 20 weeks of chemotherapy, a dual mastectomy and radiation therapy. Unable to work during her treatments, Geiger suggested, since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, that his University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire Men’s Hockey Club could, “Pink the Rink,” for a benefit game.

“Living in Eau Claire I felt like I couldn’t do much to help,” Geiger said. “When we decided to do this I felt like I was actually able to help her cause for the first time since she was diagnosed.”

Pink ribbons and balloons cluttered Hobbs Ice Arena on October 24, when the St. Cloud State’s Hockey Club came to town. The Eau Claire Blugolds supplied pink tape for both teams and some players honored affected friends and family members by writing names on their sticks. Generous students, parents and supporters made donations throughout the game at a table dedicated to sharing Johnson’s story. One-hundred percent of the proceeds went to the Johnson family.

Johnson, alongside a tremendous supporting cast of family and friends, made the trip from Antigo to Eau Claire to be in attendance at the game. The 6-0 Blugolds were trying to stay perfect against a competitive St. Cloud team. St. Cloud dominated the beginning of the first period but the game remained scoreless until none other than Kyle Geiger put one away late in the period.

Geiger said, “that was one of those goals that I could say, ‘That one was for you, sis.’”

The game went back-and-forth and Eau Claire was clinging to a one goal entering the third period. St. Cloud tied the game a minute and thirty seconds into the final stanza. The tie wouldn’t last long. Thirty seconds later, the Blugolds answered the call and older brother Ben Boldenow would set up his little brother Brad Boldenow for the eventual game winner.

The Blugolds advanced to 7-0, but the real winner was the Johnson family. Due to the tremendous generosity of the Eau Claire Club Hockey supporters over five-hundred dollars was raised and will go toward paying for Johnson’s treatment.

In the five years of Eau Claire’s Club Hockey existence this was their first ever benefit game. The flourishing student-run club has grown and improved every season and hopes these benefit games become a staple in the years to come.


The Eau Claire men took to the road for the first time of the year, the destination: Superior. It took five minutes for the road legs to wear off and the guys to get rolling. Scoring six goals in the first period, the Blugolds clearly had the short-benched Yellowjackets outmatched. Ten different players scored for the Blugolds in the Friday win. Eau Claire was able to skate to ten to two victory.


After enjoying a night of hospitality in Solon Springs, the team spent a day in Duluth before the seven o’clock Saturday start. The EC gentleman dismissed the Yellowjackets in convincing fashion in a ten to three win. The Blugolds secured the sweep and advanced their record to 6-0.

The UW-Eau Claire club guys were geared up for their first real test of the season. The Tommies of the University of St. Thomas came to town for the Blugolds’ second series of the year. The EC guys were extra motivated since the Tommies were the only team to sweep EC a year prior. Not only did they sweep, they also beat Eau Claire in the WCCHA Tourney to keep them out of the championship. Friday the puck dropped at seven and the boys were ready to rock. The Blugolds were flying dominating play and in the first Michael Preskar (2) and Austin Oungst (2) gave the Blugolds a two to nothing edge. Keeping the pressure up Captain Austin King (4) added a hat-trick in the second, followed by Chad Smith (2) to put the Blugolds in the driver seat six-nil. Ben Boldenow (1) and Alex Zitske (1) added a couple more in the third before the Tommies scored a few garbage goals late in the third. The first game belonged to the Blugolds in an eight to two rout of the defending WCCHA Champs.

Revenge would not be complete until the Blugolds swept their conference rivals. A much slower Eau Claire team played a hotly contested Saturday game. In the first Alex Zitske (2) wired a top shelf rocket to give Eau Claire the early lead. However, this game would prove to be the Blugolds’ greatest challenge thus far in the young season. Only up by one in the second Eau Claire found themselves in penalty trouble early and often. A five-minute-major for head-contact followed by a two-minute tripping minor put the Blugolds in a tough five on three penalty kill. Fortunately, a crossbar, some great defensive zone work and some puck-luck yielded one goal on the extended St. Thomas PP. After two periods the two were deadlocked at one a piece. Finally, the score was broken when Austin King threw a puck low off the pillows of UST goaltender and freshman Ben Rauschnot (1) banged in the rebound for his first goal of the season and it was a big one to give Eau Claire a one goal lead late. The Tommies weren’t going away quietly and brought the game even at two a piece with less than five minutes in regulation. We were going to overtime. After trading chances the decider was finally had with less than a minute remaining in overtime Andy Mlynar (2) scored the winner with fellow Eden Prairie brothers Ben and Brad Boldenow on the assists. Goaltender Ryan Laughlin played well turning away forty-four of forty-six shots earning the win. The sweep was complete and the Blugolds moved their perfect record to 4-0 on the year.

The UWEC boys had a couple short weeks of practice before the season opened at home taking on the Mankato Mavericks. It didn’t take long for the guys to get the party started as Brad Boldenow (1) got the Blugolds on the board five minutes into the first. Fellow Eden Prairie boy Andy Mlynar (1) followed up and put the Blugolds up two, late in the first. Defenseman Alex Zitske had a couple of assits on the pair of goals. The Blugolds rolled on in the second as Michael Preskar (1) and Austin King (1) added a couple more genos to the cause to put the Blugolds up four. Kato got one in the second but that would be it as far as the scoring in game one. Blugolds coasted to a four-one victory and tender Nate Teuscher looked good turning away 24 of 25 shots.

The second game the Eau Claire boys we’re hungry for the sweep and defender Austin Oungst (1) tickled the twine less than two minutes into the game for the one to zero lead. However, Mankato answered back quickly and knotted the game at one twenty seconds later. That was the wake-up call the guys needed and erupted to score the next five goals, unanswered. Among the goal scores were Dillon Gavazzoni (2) with a pair, Ryan Theiler (1), Kyle Geiger (1), Chad Smith (1) and Jarrid Balz (1). The EC boys skated to their first sweep of the year with a decisive seven to two victory.

The UW-Eau Claire Men’s Club Hockey team started off this year with a fantastic showing at try outs. Around 40 prospective hockey players came out to try to make the squad. It wasn’t easy with only four guys from last-year’s team graduating, but after two rounds of cuts and a scrimmage against UW-La Crosse we had our team.

New additions included sophomore Danny Klagos from Middleton (WI), freshman Drew Byers from Stillwater (MN), freshman Luke Jackson from Chaska (MN) and big boy freshman Ben Rauschnot from Inver Grove Heights (MN). They look to fill some big shoes entering the club’s 5th season.