NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Senior Jonathan Panisa scored at 1:02 of overtime to cap a 3-2 comeback win for the St. Olaf College men's hockey team over visiting UW-Eau Claire on Friday night at St. Olaf Ice Arena.

UW-Eau Claire (0-1-0) scored twice in the second period to take a 2-1 lead and maintained that lead until first year Carl Ericksen scored his first collegiate goal with under two minutes remaining in regulation for St. Olaf (2-1-0) to force overtime. In the extra session, sophomore Matthew Malin made a pair of close-range saves in the opening 16 seconds before Panisa tapped in a pass from senior Gunnar Johnson at the 1:02 mark for the game-winner.

The win was the second consecutive overtime victory this season for St. Olaf, which received votes in this week's USCHO Division III Men's Ice Hockey Poll following a season-opening split at fifth-ranked St. Norbert College last weekend. It was also the Oles' fourth victory in the last five meetings with the Blugolds going back to 2021.

St. Olaf had three breakaways and hit the pipe once in the opening period but had to settle for a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes. Senior Kelijah McElroy scored the period's lone goal midway through, stick handling past a UW-Eau Claire skater before scoring from low in the left circle off assists from sophomore Simon Pollock and senior Tony Leahy.

UW-Eau Claire outshot St. Olaf by a 15-3 margin in the second period on its way to taking a 2-1 lead into the third. Leo Bacallao tied the game for the visitors on the power play at 6:56 of the second before Nolan Grier blasted in a one-timer from near the right boards at 17:08. Early in the period, Malin produced a double save on a breakaway by Luke Lavery to keep the Oles on top before Bacallao's goal.

With UW-Eau Claire still holding a 2-1 lead, St. Olaf was unable to convert 1:27 of 4-on-3 power-play time midway through the third. With 2:30 to go, the Oles pulled Malin for the extra skater and the move paid off just 18 seconds later when first year Carl Ericksen scored his first collegiate goal on a wraparound to tie it at 2-2.

After Malin kept the Oles in it with the two early saves in overtime, Johnson slid the puck across the ice for Panisa to turn in for the game-winner, with first year Connor McNaughton picking up his second assist of the night. McNaughton also assisted on Ericksen's game-tying goal after scoring the game-winner at St. Norbert on Saturday night.

Malin earned the win with a 30-save performance between the pipes for the Oles, while Max Gutjahr had 17 saves in the loss for the Blugolds.

St. Olaf will host No. 12-ranked UW-Superior on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.