Oct. 10, 2008
Box Score
ANCHORAGE, AK - Alaska Nanook junior forwards Brandon and Dion Knelsen combined for three important goals Friday night in the opening game of the Kendall Hockey Classic Friday night at the Sullivan Arena, to give the Blue and Gold a 2-2 tie against the Northeastern Huskies in their first NCAA game of the season.
Although Dion Knelsen's goal will not count in his season statistics because it happened after the game was already determined a tie, the lone shootout scorer gave the Nanooks a mental victory and a leg up in the tournament standings. However, his two assists on his older brother's goals will count and Alaska now holds the tiebreaker over the Huskies.
The Huskies got on the board early in the second period, when Dennis McCauley sent a one-timer past Johnson at 1:52.
Brandon Knelsen answered the call for Alaska at 8:06 of the third period, when he inadvertently directed a shot from his younger brother past NU's Brad Thiessen.
The Huskies' Steve Quailer gave his team the advantage again just over five minutes later, when he took a feed from Steve Silva and Tyler McNeely and beat Johnson at 13:09 to make it 2-1. For the second time in the period, the elder Knelsen proved the solution, streaking to the net and deflecting the puck past Thiessen. Dion and defenseman Dustin Molle picked up assists on the play.
Johnson finished the game with 18 saves, while NU's backstop recorded 29.
Alaska was held scoreless in six man-advantage opportunities, but was a perfect three-for-three on the penalty kill. The Nanooks outshot their opponent 31-20.
Tournament play continues tomorrow at 4:05 p.m. AKST, when the Nanooks take on the Connecticut Huskies at the Sullivan Arena.
