EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The Bethel University men's hockey team fell on the road to No. 9 ranked Wisconsin-Eau Claire by a 6-3 final score. The Royals were able to battle back twice from deficits to tie the game at 3-3 midway through the second period but did not have one more comeback in them after the Blugolds took back the lead.

UWEC needed just 43 seconds to get an early lead but Bethel was able to get a power play goal from Travis Payne at 8:25 in the first to tie it back up at 1-1. Eric Szafranski assisted Payne. The Blugolds quickly answered the Royals score however, as just a minute and fifteen seconds later Eau Claire took back the lead. UWEC extended their lead to 3-1 with a goal at 8:44 in the second period. The Blugolds went on a power play shortly afterwards, looking to put the Royals in an even bigger hole but Bethel had other thoughts as JT Walters scored a shorthanded goal. Travis Payne and Mitch Hughes assisted Walters on Bethel's first shorthanded goal of the season. Bethel then went on a power play just over a minute later and were able to capitalize again to tie the game up at 3-3. Dylan Webster scored for Bethel with assists to Taylor Brown and Walters.

Three minutes after the Royals tied the game they had another power play opportunity and looked to take the lead. But, just as the Royals did to the Blugolds earlier, UWEC scored a shorthanded goal and took back the lead, this time for good. The second period scoring wasn't done there as Eau Claire added another goal at 18:53 on another power play. Bethel was unable to strike again and the Blugolds added their sixth goal near the end of the third period for the 6-3 final.

UWEC outshot Bethel 37-23 on the night. Both teams registered the shorthanded goals while Bethel scored twice on the power play and Eau Claire once. Entering the weekend UWEC led the nation in penalty killing, not having allowed a single power play goal, but Bethel was able to score in two of their five chances.

The Royals will return home next Friday night to jump back into MIAC play when they host the Concordia College Cobbers. The Royals will be at home for their next five games as they look to snap their current four game losing skid after starting out the season 2-0.