STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point men's hockey team trailed just over two minutes into the game and succumbed to a 7-3 defeat in the season-opener against visiting UW-Eau Claire.
 
The Blugolds poured on four tallies in the first period while the Pointers mustered just five shots on goal in the first 20 minutes.
 
Senior Zach Zech (South Lyon, Mich./) got UWSP on the board with a power-play goal at the 7:48 mark of the second period.  Fellow senior Steven Quagliata (Bartlett, Ill./) added an assist on the play.
 
After UWEC pushed the deficit back to four goals, it was yet another senior tandem combining for a late goal.  With just 0.2 second left in the second period, Colin Raver (Bartlett, Ill./) scored off a feed from Tyler Pietrowski (Curtice, Ohio/).
 
Ryan Orgel (Los Angeles, Calif./) netted his first goal for the Pointers at the 2:47 mark of the third period as UWSP got within two.  Brandon McReynolds (North Vancouver, B.C./) had an assist.  UWEC added two goals late to close the game.
 
Eli Billing (Windsor, Ont./) made 26 saves int eh game for UWSP.  UWEC netminder Zach Dyment made 25 saves.
 
The Pointers and Blugolds faceoff again on Friday (Feb. 5) at 7:00 p.m. in Eau Claire.