The UW-Eau Claire women’s hockey team fell to UW-Stevens Point in a game where both teams battled until the final buzzer on Saturday night in Hobbs Ice Arena.

The Blugolds started the game with quick offense as freshman Danielle Lucker scored the first goal of the game with 5:23 left in the second period. The Pointers were quick to reply as they scored with 12:56 left in the period. Stevens Point ended the second period with a 2-1 lead.

The Pointers scored once again 4:31 into the third period. However, Eau Claire wasn’t going home without a fight. The Blugolds scored with just 42 seconds left in the game off a goal from freshman Monica Sjodin.

The Blugolds’ late push was not quite enough to put the Pointers away, as Eau Claire lost the game 3-2.

Head coach Erik Strand said he liked the way his team finished the game Saturday night.

“I loved the way we finished the game, but I was not a big fan of how we started,” Strand said. “Our will to come back and compete was something I was proud of.”

The Blugolds (9-9-4) have now lost two straight games. Coach Strand said he knows one aspect to enhance the Blugolds’ chances of finishing the season on a high note: a sense of urgency.

“Our urgency isn’t there until we’re behind,” Strand said. “We need to have that sense of urgency from the very start, If we play with that same urgency and determination, we will be able to be in any game.”

With only three regular season games left, the Blugolds look to continue competing hard to have momentum going into the playoffs, Strand said.

“The season is so unpredictable. We could be at any spot in the playoff picture at the end of the regular season,” Strand said. “This is why it will be so important to be intense from the start of our next games in order to be in a good position.”

The Blugolds look to get back on track as they battle against the Pointers once again at 2 p.m. Saturday at UW-Stevens Point.