UW hockey loses, ties AFA

by UW Media Relations

The University of Wyoming hockey club salvaged a point in a two-game weekend series against the United States Air Force Academy club team.

After falling 7-4 to the Falcons Friday night at the World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo., Graham Barrett and Elliott Bauder scored key goals as the Cowboys rallied to earn a point with a 5-5 tie in the series finale.

Playing in his hometown, Barrett helped rescue UW in the second game, netting a pair of goals in a three-minute span of the third period to even the score at 4 and force overtime. Air Force struck first in the five-minute extra period, on Tanner Lee's third goal of the game, but Bauder answered with his first goal of the season and the teams settled for a tie.

Will Alpsteg (Kearney, Neb.) and David Wilcox (Houston, Texas) also scored goals for the Cowboys in the series finale. David Wells (Rock Springs), Nate Olsen (Pinedale), Tad Bernet (Katy, Texas) and Grayson Walsh (Fort Collins, Colo.) had assists.

Despite two goals by Erik Blomberg (Parker, Colo.), UW suffered its first loss of the 2008-09 campaign in the series opener. Luke Walker (Jackson) and Brandon Moore (Littleton, Colo.) also scored for the Cowboys.

Bauder had two assists and Barrett, Bernet, Wells, Wilcox and Craig Luplow (Sheridan) also notched assists in a losing cause.

This weekend, UW (2-1-1) makes its only swing of the season through central Wyoming for two games against the Montana State University club squad. The teams play Friday night at the Casper Ice Arena and Saturday night at the indoor arena at the Wyoming State Fairgrounds in Douglas. Both games start at 7 p.m.