Sept. 30, 2006
Final Stats
By Danny Martin
Published September 30, 2006
Posted in Sports
ANCHORAGE,AK-The Alaska Nanooks shook off the cobwebs but they couldn't shake up the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 Team on Friday night in an exhibition game at Sullivan Arena.
Despite an impressive surge in a nearly 10-minute span in the third period, the Nanooks came up short 5-3 before a sparse crowd of 200 in a facility which seats more than 6,400 for hockey. The game took place in Anchorage because Alaska's home rink, the Carlson Center, is playing host this weekend to the Fairbanks Winter Show and the crosstown and 2,000-seat Big Dipper Ice Arena is undergoing a replacement of its rink's refrigeration system and isn't expected to be ready until mid-October.
After trailing 5-0, goals by junior left wing Kyle Greentree, sophomore right wing Adam Naglich and junior defenseman T.J. Campbell made the game respectable and kept the Nanooks from heading home today with a shutout loss in their first experience of the season against someone other than themselves.
"They had nice skills, good hands and they had good decision-making skills and they were well-coached," said Alaska head coach Tavis MacMillan of the Under-18 team. "But for our first game, I'm not that disappointed.''
Occupants of both lockerrooms agreed that the national team, which was led by goaltender Brad Phillips' 36 saves and a goal and an assist each from right wings Ryan Hayes and Jimmy Hayes, was game-tested and the Nanooks, despite a 39-23 advantage in shots, were getting their legs under them.
"Obviously, this was our seventh game and that has a lot to do with it," Under-18 head coach Ron Rolston said.
The Under-18 team began its season with a 6-0 run through junior-A opponents over the previous two weeks. The Nanooks, meanwhile, had only played their Blue-Gold Game last Saturday in the Patty Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Alaska, though, was the first of 23 collegiate opponents this season for the Under-18 team.
"This game just helped us get the rust off," said senior center Curtis Fraser, who assisted on Naglich's goal. "Like coach (MacMillan) said we're not going to be perfect tonight, but shaking off the cobwebs is what these games are for. We wanted to win but at the same time this game is getting us ready for our season."
Speed and defense in the first period helped the national team score three goals three different ways on just six shots--eight fewer shots than the Nanooks threatened Phillips with.
Defenseman Ian Cole beat Alaska starting goaltender Wylie Rogers with a power-play slap shot from the top of the left circle at 4:27. The Under-18 team's special teams' productivity continued at 12:23, as center Mike Hoeffel scored shorthanded after he stole the puck from Nanooks defenseman Darcy Campbell in the neutral zone in front of the Nanooks bench, faked a 2-on-1 pass to Wilson and delivered a wrist shot from the left circle.
Ryan Hayes, with his second point of the period, took advantage of a Nanooks defensive collapse and scored from the left side of the crease at 13:26 for the three-goal gap.
The Under-18 Team clogged the shooting lanes and cleared out rebounds, and often collected those pucks and broke up the ice.
"Our defense stayed at home," said Ryan Hayes, "and we played our game in the first period."
Said Rolston, "They (Alaska) were good on the rush and they had a good transition game but we got out to take away any opportunities for second chances by them."
Alaska sophomore goalie Chad Johnson replaced Rogers at 5:09 of the second period, after the Under-18 team grabbed a 4-0 lead on right wing Jimmy Hayes' goal from the slot.
"I just wanted to come out and play my best and it didn't show up tonight," said Rogers, who finished with seven saves, "but I'm glad I got a game like this to work on things. A game like this helps with discipline."
The Nanooks' offense awoke in the final period after Under-18 defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk made it 5-0 with a slap shot on a 5-on-3 power play at 2:46 of the third.
Greentree ended the Nanooks' drought by taking defenseman Tyler Eckford's pass and lifting a wrist shot from the high slot over Phillips' shoulder.
Alaska finally penetrated the national team's low-slot defense at 9:22, as Naglich tapped in the hosts' second goal through a crowd.
"That goalie played well and it took a while to figure him out," Fraser said. "You had to get traffic in front of him."
T.J. Campbell ripped a slap shot from the top of the slot at 16:59 for the Nanooks' final goal.
"It was a sloppy period for us and they picked up the momentum," Rolston said.
Alaska returns to exhibition action against Western Ontario next Friday at 7:05 p.m. at the Carlson Center and opens the regular season there against Air Force on Oct. 13-14.
