Nov. 22, 2008
Box Score
BIG RAPIDS, MI - A dominant goaltending effort from Alaska Nanooks senior Chad Johnson and a timely third-period goal was all the Blue and Gold would need in a 2-0 decision over the Ferris State hockey team Saturday night at Ferris State's Ewigleben Ice Arena.
The win gave Alaska a Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) weekend series sweep of Ferris State, for the first time ever when playing on the Bulldogs' turf. It also extended the Nanooks unbeaten streak against FSU to 9-0-2 in their last 11 meetings, which includes a 5-0-2 ledger in Big Rapids, and evened the all-time series between the teams to 23-23-3.
For the second consecutive night, Johnson turned in a stellar performance for Alaska with 30 saves en route to his second shutout of the season and third of his career: good enough for first-star honors. The Nanooks' netminder stopped 11 shots in the second period and then turned away all 10 Bulldog shots in the finale frame to improve his mark to 5-4-1 this campaign. Johnson got help from his teammates, as the Nanooks totaled 20 blocks as compared to Ferris State's nine.
The teams skated to a scoreless opening 40 minutes of play before Alaska registered the initial score just 34 seconds into the third period. Justin Brossman netted his first of the season on a one-timer in front of the Ferris goal as the puck bounced off the back board to the freshman right winger who fired one past FSU sophomore goaltender Pat Nagle. Derek Klassen and Scott Enders assisted on the play.
The Nanooks would add an insurance marker with 11 seconds remaining in the contest on Klassen's first goal of the season. The sophomore center swiped the puck away from a Bulldog skater and measured up a shot from Ferris' blueline which slid in between the posts of the FSU net unassisted.
Ferris State, which managed to outshoot the Nanooks 30-27 in the game, got a 25-save performance from Nagle (3-5-1). It was a fruitless night for both of the team's special teams, as the Bulldogs failed to convert on seven power-play chances while the Nanooks went scoreless in four man-advantage opportunities of their own.
Alaska will get a chance to extend its streak, when it hosts Ferris State in late February 2009 with a pair of league outings in Fairbanks. The rematch at the Carlson Center will mark the Nanooks conference finale (Feb. 20-21).
