The Sabres (6-8) trailed 3-2 entering the third period and outshot the Bludgolds (8-3-2) 15-5 in the final 20 minutes, but were unable to find the equalizer. Marian finished the game with a 32-26 shots advantage, but the difference was a pair of third-period tallies by the hosts as Ross Anderson netted a game-winning short-handed goal at the 17:13 mark, followed by an Ethan Nauman goal with just 90 seconds remaining to clinch the win.

"Thought we played well," Head Coach AJ Aitken said. "We got better in each period, but we need to get better with attention to details.

"A turnover in our end cost us the game," Aitken added in reference to the short-handed goal scored by Anderson. "I'm not disappointed in the effort, but lack of attention to details and decisions with the puck hurt us."

UW-Eau Claire jumped out to a 2-0 lead less than 15 minutes into the first period when Jack Callahan and Patrick Moore found the back of the net. The latter of the power play variety in which the Blugolds went 1-for-4.

Special teams were a factor in this one, evidenced by the power play tally and the decisive short-handed score. Marian went 0-for-2 on the extra-man situations.

The Sabres effort, however, showed they could hang with one of the best teams in the country – one that is just two seasons removed from a national championship.

With less than 4 minutes remaining in the first period, RJay Berra took a pass from Brodie Jamieson and got the Sabres on the board with his fifth goal of the season to make a 2-1 deficit heading into the first intermission.

Jeff Pauluk then gave UWEC another two-goal advantage when he slipped one past Marian goalie Mike Baldwin just 3:25 into the period. At the 12:35 mark, Hunter Stewart scored his fourth goal of the season on assists from Derek Thorogood and Carson Johnstone to make it 3-2 Blugolds.

UW-Eau Claire took two penalties in the final period, giving the Sabres two grade-A opportunities to potentially tie the game. After the first power play opportunity was killed off by the Blugolds, the second had a reverse affect. UWEC took advantage of a turnover in the Marian D zone and converted into another two-goal advantage on Andersen's ninth of the year with 2:47 left in regulation.

Brian Berger kept Marian's hopes alive and well, however, as he connected on his third goal of the season just 32 seconds later to make the score 4-3. But then, it was Nauman who put away the empty-netter with 1:30 to play and the Blugolds hung on from there.

Baldwin made 21 saves in the loss, while UWEC goalie Tyler Green stopped 29-of-32 shots that came his way.

The Sabres will stay on the road to face St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota tomorrow night (7 p.m.), Jan. 10, which makes for another team that was once ranked and is receiving votes in both Division III Men's Hockey polls.

"St. Thomas is another top-caliber team," Aitken said. "They are always a national contender. They have good team speed and compete in a place that's always tough to play in.

"We're looking forward to the challenge and I believe this squad is close."