UW-Stout 3, UW-Eau Claire 1
EAU CLAIRE (January 30, 2009) - UW-Stout scored two goals in the first period and goalie Matt Koenig (Sr, Lakeland, Minn) notched two scoreless periods of play as the Blue Devils defeated UW-Eau Claire, 3-1, Friday at Hobbs Ice Center.
Combined with a 2-2 tie by St. Norbert with UW-Superior, Stout's (14-5-2, 6-2-2) win over the Blugolds (13-7-1, 3-6-1) gave the Blue Devils sole possession of third place in the NCHA.
Stout scored back-to-back goals in the first period. Team captain Andy Sternberg (Jr, Duluth, Minn) put Stout out front with a goal at 8:07 and Jake Gullickson (Jr, Apple Valley, Minn) doubled the score two minutes later.
The Blugolds got on the board just before the first period break on a goal by Joe Bluhm.
The teams played scoreless in the second period, but Stout's Joel Gaulrapp (Jr, Owatonna, Minn) wasted no time in the third period, giving Stout a cushion only 19 seconds into the stanza.
Koenig stopped 36 total shots, but turned away 17 in the first period. The Blugolds' Tyler Brigl stopped 20 shots in the second period alone and tallied 36 saves.
Neither team could take advantage of the power play. Stout was 0-for-5, while Eau Claire was 0-for-6.
Stout will host UW-Stevens Point, Saturday, Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. at the Dunn County Ice Arena. The Pointers lost, 4-3, at UW-River Falls, Friday night.
The game will be available on Blue Devil Video with Matt Kaskavitch on the play-by-play.
