March 3, 2007
Box Score
The Alaska Nanooks were unable to overcome a multi-goal deficit a second time, as the Western Michigan Broncos handed them a 6-2 loss Saturday night at Lawson Arena to even the series and force a third and deciding game on Sunday.
For the second consecutive night Alaska was unable to score a goal in the first period despite out shooting WMU 17-5. The Broncos however, were not distraught after Friday night's loss and made the most of two Alaska turnovers early in the period, netting two short-handed tallies and one even-strengthed marker before the first intermission.
The first came just 2:42 into the contest when the Broncos' Paul Szczechura wrapped the puck around the left goalpost to make it 1-0. Three minutes and 20 seconds later, a Nanook turnover gave Jeff LoVecchio a break-away chance and he beat Rogers high-gloveside to double the lead for WMU.
WMU tripled its margin while skating four on four. With junior forward Greentree (Victoria, BC) and WMU's Jonathan Lupa sitting in the penalty box for coincidental minors, Mark Letestu took a pass from Ryan Mahrle and converted in a two-on-one chance.
Coming back for the second stanza, Alaska replaced junior goalie Wylie Rogers (Anchorage, AK) with sophomore Chad Johnson (Calgary, AB). The change between the pipes sparked the Nanooks at the opposite end as they scored two goals to pull within one.
Junior left wing Aaron Lee (Calgary, AB) beat WMU's Riley Gill stick side for his team-leading eighth career playoff goal to make it 3-1 at 2:24.
The Nanooks had just about killed off a penalty assessed by senior defenseman Nathan Fornataro (Calgary, AB), when Pat Galivan gave WMU a three-goal advantage for the second time in the game with just one second remaining on Fornataro's penalty at the 6:41 mark.
Alaska continued to battle and notched its second goal of the night when sophomore right wing Braden Walls (Calgary, AB) scored his sixth of the year
The Nanooks continued to out shoot the Broncos, taking a 29-11 advantage into the second break, but WMU carried the two-goal advantage after 40 minutes of action.
Letestu widened the gap with his second strike of the night at 15:25 of the final frame, after Johnson left the crease to clear the puck from behind the net but was unable. He attempted to get back in position but it was too late as WMU's Matt Clackson gained control of the puck and fed Letestu for the Broncos' fifth goal of the night.
Szczechura capped the Broncos scoring with his second of the night 1:20 later and the deficit was too great for Alaska to overcome.
Rogers (5-2-4 overall) made two saves before Johnson (5-13-4) stepped in for an 18-save performance.
The teams rematch tomorrow night in a do-or-die situation for both teams, with the winner advancing to the second week of postseason Mar. 9-11. Opening face off on Sunday is set for 7:35 p.m. EST at Lawson Ice Arena.
