UW-Eau Claire jumped into the top 15 of the DCU/USCHO.com NCAA Division III men’s hockey poll this week after a pair of wins over nationally ranked St. Norbert.
The Blugolds, ranked 11th this week, stretched their win streak to four games over the weekend, beating the Green Knights 3-2 and 4-2 on the road.
Trailing 2-1 a minute into the second period, the Blugolds scored three times to put the game away. Ryan Green, Austin Becker and Quinn Green all scored to lift the Blugolds to the sweep.
Quinn Green scored a pair of goals in the win and also had an assist while Ryan Green tallied a goal and an assist.
In Friday’s game, Jack Johnston scored off the power play at the five minute mark of the third period to give the Blugolds the win.
Max Gutjahr made 23 saves on Friday and added 25 more saves on Saturday.
The wins improve UW-Eau Claire to 6-2 on the year, and they are also the first of the season over a nationally ranked opponent.
Check our more weekend hockey action below.
Superior sweeps Lumberjacks
UW-Superior closed out a series against Northland with a 7-0 win on Saturday. The Yellowjackets scored four goals in the third period to finish off the win and stretch their winning streak to three games.
Seven different players scored as UW-Superior improved to 7-3 overall and 3-1 in the WIAC.
Ty Proffitt tallied a goal and an assist, as did Austin Paul, while Zach Bannister came through with three assists.
UW-Superior also won Friday’s game against Northland, coming through with a 3-0 win. Colton Friesen scored twice and dished out an assist while Dylan Meilun made 16 saves for his third shutout of the year. He’s the first UW-Superior netminder to start his career with five consecutive wins since the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons when Dan Graichen was in goal.
Raiders on a roll
Two second period goals were enough to carry MSOE to a 2-0 win over Saint John’s and complete a huge non-conference sweep over Thanksgiving weekend.
Matt Hanewall scored twice off the power play in a span of less than two minutes late in the period as the Raiders took control and never looked back.
Austin Schwab helped make sure MSOE didn’t allow Saint John’s back into the game as he came through with 32 saves. Schwab’s shutout was his third of the year and he is now one shutout away from tying the single-season school record in that category.
The Raiders, winners of three consecutive games, now stand at 7-2 on the season, their best record since opening the 2019-20 campaign with a 6-1-2 record.
MSOE opened the series with a 3-2 win. The Raiders scored twice in the opening period before the Johnnies tied the game at 2-2 after two.
Jackson Hughes scored the game winner with less than three minutes to play.
Royals come through with sweep
It was a good weekend for the Bethel Royals, who took care of business in a series against Lake Forest. The Royals opened with a 7-1 win and completed the sweep with a 3-0 victory on Saturday.
Bethel has now won three consecutive games and is 7-2-1 on the season. The Royals are unbeaten in their last five games.
In Saturday’s shutout, Austin Ryman racked up a career-best 51 saves. Jack Brown, Jack Bayless and Dylan Giorgio all scored in the win.
On Friday, Giorgio scored two goals to pace the Royals, who scored the final seven goals of the game, including three in the third.
Oles stay hot
St. Olaf continues to be one of the best stories of the season in the west region of NCAA Division III hockey. The Oles swept Marian over the weekend to stretch their unbeaten steak to seven games. They have won four consecutive games during that stretch.
Ashton Altmann highlighted Sunday’s 4-2 win as he scored twice, marking the first time in his college career he has tallied two goals in a game. Tyler Cooper added a goal and an assist. A total of nine players tallied at least one point.
With the sweep, St. Olaf has now outscored the opposition 23-12 during its unbeaten streak and have given up two goals or less in six games during the streak.
Freshman Johnathan Panisa came through in crunch time for the Oles on Saturday, scoring the game winner in a 3-2 victory in overtime.
It was the first game winner of his college career and he scored with just under a minute left in OT.
The Oles trailed 2-1 at one point in the game before rallying. St.Olaf had gone winless against Marian in its previous five meetings that date back to the 2013-14 season. Casey Parker added a goal and an assist for the Oles.
Thunder tie Utica
Trine held its own against nationally ranked Utica over the weekend, playing the Pioneers to a 2-2 tie on the road Saturday.
Garrett Hallford’s goal at the 6:09 mark of the third tied the score at 2-2. Tim Organ also scored for the Thunder while Cristian Wong-Ramos came through with 30 saves against a Utica team currently ranked third nationally.
It marks the second consecutive weekend where Trine as won or tied a team ranked in the poll.
On Sunday, Trine battled Plymouth State tough in a 1-0 loss. The Thunder are now 4–5-1 on the season. Wong-Ramos made 24 saves.
Spartans split tournament games
Aurora bounced back on Sunday in a game against Middlebury, using a three-goal third period t secure a 5-2 win. The Spartans were coming off a 4-2 loss to Norwich one day earlier in the FirstLight Shootout.
Giovanni Procopio and Jack Jaunich both tallied a goal and an assist. Adam Keyes did the same as the Spartans improved to 7-2-2 overall on the season. Kolby Thornton made 25 saves in goal.
Aurora was tested on Friday as it battled Norwich in a game featuring two nationally ranked teams.
The Spartans, currently 14th nationally, fell 4-2 to Norwich in the FirstLight Shootout. Akl Hassan scored a goal and tallied an assist while Derrick Budz came through with a goal. Tanner Marshall made 33 saves against Norwich, which is 10th in the latest poll.
