Feb. 16, 2007
Box Score
FAIRBANKS, AK - The Alaska Nanooks played solid for all but 10 seconds Friday night and it cost them in a tight 1-0 loss to top-ranked Notre Dame in Central Collegiate Hockey Association play. A third-period Fighting Irish goal by Ryan Thang after a Nanook miscue was the difference in front of a crowd of 3,293 at the Carlson Center.
The win, coupled with a Michigan loss, secured Irish the CCHA regular season crown with three games remaining.
Thang, a freshman left wing who leads Notre Dame in goals, picked the puck away from sophomore defenseman Tyler Eckford (Langley, BC) in the Nanook zone to set up a one-on-one opportunity against junior goalie Wylie Rogers (Fairbanks, AK). Thang used a hesitation fake while skating in from Rogers' stick side and then fired the puck between the legs of the goalie for the game-winner with 15:33 left.
The goal was the only mark on an otherwise stellar night in the net for Rogers (5-6-2). The hometown product turned away 23 of 24 shots to take home Toyota Player of the Game honors.
As solid as Rogers was, Notre Dame's David Brown (24-4-3) was equally impressive. The senior netminder turned away all 28 Nanook shots including 15 in the second period.
Both squads finished 0 for 7 on the power play, as the goaltenders and strong penalty kill ruled the night.
The Nanooks spent the final four minutes a man down after senior defenseman picked up a game misconduct for checking from behind. Alaska pulled Rogers for the final 1:19 in favor of an extra attacker but was unable to get anything past Brown.
The Nanooks and Irish continue their CCHA series at the Carlson Center Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. AST.
