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Issued: February 18, 2006

SEASON ENDS WITH DRAMATIC WIN FOR WOMEN'S HOCKEY

HANCOCK, MI - In what was a close high scoring affair that saw a late game-winning goal, the UW-Eau Claire women's hockey team ended the regular season with a 5-4 victory over Finlandia University.

This was the team's first Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) victory. It is now 1-8-6 in NCHA games and 7-12-6 overall. The Lions fall to 1-10-2 in NCHA play and 7-13-3 for the year.

Eau Claire got on the scoreboard early when Martina Korinek (Jr.-White Bear Lake, MN) made a shot just before the three minute mark. Lauren Havard (Fr.-San Angelo, TX/Arapahoe) and Amanda Schultz (Sr.-Stevens Point/SPASH) provided the assists on the even-strength goal. Less than 30 seconds later Finlandia tied it up with an evenhanded score of its own. The Lions went on to dominate scoring for the rest of the first period, scoring two more even-sided goals at 13:23 and 19:19 to make it a 3-1 game. Of the six Lion shots in the opening period, half went in.

The Blugolds came back strong in period two. At 3:31 Theresa Guindon (So.-Lino Lakes, MN/Centennial) found the back of the net with passes coming from Amber Stevenson (Jr.-Eagan, MN) and Jessie Boyles (Sr.-Prior Lake, MN) on this even-strength score. Then just over a minute later Korinek put her second of the day in to tie up. Havard and Allie Campbell (Jr.-Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) were in on the assists for this power-play goal.

With it all tied up going in the final period, neither team got going offensively until 13:02 when it became a one goal lead for the Blugolds again. It was Schultz who did the honors this time with Korinek and Havard getting the assists. It was yet another evenhanded score. However, the Lions were not through, scoring an even-sided goal 14:34 into the period to make it 4-4. Fighting for the first Eau Claire NCHA triumph, Boyles picked the perfect time for her first goal of the season. At 16:33 she put in a pass from Allie Campbell for an evenhanded score that became the game-winner. Finlandia pulled its goalie for the last 39 seconds, but the Blugolds held off the Lion charge and held onto NCHA victory.

The Eau Claire squad outshot Finlandia 29-18 and also had more power-play chances. The team went one for five while the opponents went zero for three. Jill Arendt (So.-Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) added 14 goals to her season total.

This game recorded highs for Eau Claire in two categories this season. It is the highest scoring affair with nine combined goals between the two teams and the nine Blugold assists makes for a new season best.

The team finishes the season ranked fifth in the NCHA with eight points. Those come on six ties and today's win.

Eau Claire-Finlandia Box Score

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