Wheeler's Power-Play Goal Paces St. Norbert

From Sports Information Director, November 15, 2008 | Men's Hockey
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

GREEN BAY - St. Norbert College remained unbeaten by hanging on to top UW-Eau Claire 4-3 in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association game at the Cornerstone Community Center.

The Green Knights, ranked No. 1 in the USCHO.com Division III Poll, are 7-0 on the season and have not lost in their last 36 games. Eau Claire, ranked 12th in the poll, fell to 6-1 overall and 1-1 in the NCHA.

Shane Wheeler snapped a 3-3 tie with 6:19 left in the game, scoring a power-play goal from about 30 feet in front of the Eau Claire goaltender Tyler Brigl.

St. Norbert then went on the power play with 1:34 left after the Blugolds were called for too many men on the ice. Brigl was pulled with 50 seconds left, and the Green Knights Ryan Petersen was called for slashing with 37 seconds to play. Eau Claire didn't have a quality scoring chance with the extra attacker before time expired.

The Green Knights drew first blood, scoring 2:56 into the game when Pete Fylling jammed home a loose pick. Eau Claire evened the game at 13:48 of the first when Sean Garrity scored.

The Blugolds jumped out to a 2-1 lead when Dan Fina scored at 2:39 of the second. A.J. Gale scored on the power play off a laser from the left face-off circle to bring the Green Knights even at 2-2 at 10:49 of the second. Eau Claire answered 2:10 later when Tyler Weigel knocked home a rebound for a 3-2 advantage.

Brad Herman tied the game at 3-3 off a blast from the high slot with 3:01 left in the second. Wheeler, Herman, Fylling, Gale and Nick Tabisz all had multi-point games.

Eau Claire outshot St. Norbert 32-29. The Green Knights were 2-for-8 on the power play, while the Blugolds were 0-for-6.

B.J. O'Brien made 29 saves between the pipes for the Green Knights, while Brigl made 25 stops for the Blugolds.