Looking to recover after a tough loss against Gustavus Adolphus College  (Minn.) last Tuesday, the women’s hockey team revisited the ice Monday night against the College of St. Benedict (Minn.) Blazers for a non-conference meeting.

It took less than three minutes for the Blugolds to strike. After a free-for-all in front of the net, the puck landed on the stick of Erin Goodell. Goodell took a shot, received her own rebound and then put it in the net to get her first goal of the season.

Just two minutes later, freshman Elizabeth Bauer received the puck from the left side of the net and slid it across the ice and found freshman Courtney Wittig for a goal. Wittig, second in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC)  finished it off and scored her 11th goal of the year.

The Blazers answered late in the first period with several power-play goals and a fast break goal in the last 10 seconds. Ending the period, the teams were tied at two. The Blugolds controlled the puck for most of the period and outshot the Blazers 10-5.

During the second period, the hockey players skated around the boundaries of the rink. The Blugolds again were dictating the shots, 13-4, and controlled the faceoff circle. UW-Eau Claire finished the game winning 34 of the 51 faceoffs. In the concluding minutes of the period, the Blazers found the back of the net heading into the third.

However, the third period was all Eau Claire from the start led by the newcomers. Obtaining her first point in a Blugold jersey, it took 24 seconds for freshman Abby Roeser to snag the puck and put it in the net to even the score at three.

Approaching the game, the Blugolds were 10 for 46 on the power-play. With the player advantage, the puck was shot at the net from the blue line. Almost every player congregated in front of the net. The puck ended up sliding out in front of freshman Elizabeth Bauer. Bauer put in the loose puck for the goal, her second of the year and her ninth point of the season.

Proceeding after a successful penalty kill, sophomore Monica Sjodin sent the puck up the boards to freshman Chloe Summerfield. Summerfield collected the puck on the right faceoff dot with just one defender between her and the goalie. Chloe made a quick sidestep left, leaving the defender behind her, and fired the puck on the Blazer goalie, increasing the lead to 5-3. The Blugolds finished the game out-shooting the Blazers 35 to 15.

Freshman Erin Connolly stopped 10 of the 13 shots she faced to increase her save percentage at 90.2 percent on the year. She chiefs the Blugolds with a record of 4-3-0.

Kerry Anne Walz came out to support the Blugolds. Walz said she felt bad for the Blugolds.

“They are outplaying the other team by a lot, but they’ve just had a few bad bounces,” Walz said.

Walz continues to return to Hobbs because her daughter, Jaedyn Walz, is on the hockey team.

“It would be nice to see more college kids at the women’s hockey games,” Walz said. “It seems only parents are here right now.”

The Blugolds, who are 7-4 and 1-1 in WIAC play, have an exciting week as they will travel to St. Paul, Minnesota. to take on Hamline University (Minn.) on Wednesday night and will return to Hobbs on Friday and Saturday as they host Saint Mary’s University  (Minn.) and Marian University.