Dec. 21, 2008
Box Score
After trailing for more than 40 minutes, Alaska battled back for a lead but late heroics from Western Michigan won the game in overtime as the Broncos stole one from the Nanooks on Saturday Night at the Carlson Center.
The Nanooks were unable to capitalize on four power play opportunities in the first twenty minutes including a 5-on-3 for 35 seconds. Junior Kevin Petovello (Sparwood, BC) had the best scoring chance in front of the net but saw his shot go just wide. Alaska outshot WMU 9-5 but the two teams were even at zero at the first intermission.
After successfully killing four Nanook power plays in the first period, the Bronco’s stopped Alaska on three more in the second stanza and managed to score on a power play of their own. With Braden Walls (Calgary, AB) in the penalty box for high sticking, the lone goal of the period came from WMU’s assistant captain Tyler Ludwig as his slap shot from just in front of the blue line hit Alaska’s netminder Chad Johnson (Calgery, AB) which he uncharacteristically let trickle through for a 1-0 lead in favor of Western Michigan. Ludwig was assisted on the goal by Patrick Galivan and Jordan Collins.
Once again Alaska outshot Western Michigan, this time 14-9. However, their inability to score on the man advantage had the Nanooks trailing after 40 minutes.
The Blue and Gold came storming out for the locker room for the third period as Dion Knelsen got Alaska on the scoreboard at 5:17 when he received a long pass from defender Aaron Gens (Baudette, MI) and had a one-on-one with WMU’s goalie Riley Gill which he crossed him from right to left and put it top shelf to even the game at 1-1.
Alaska would then take then take their first lead of the game on Adam Naglich’s (Las Vegas, NV) sixth goal of the season in which his shot from the left corner hit Gill’s shoulder and found the back of the net. He was assisted on the goal by Walls and Ryan Hohl (Northville, MI).
With Alaska holding onto the lead, WMU pulled their goalie for an extra man which paid off as the Bronco’s Ryan Watson found the loose puck and slipped it past Johnson with just 29 seconds left to send the game to overtime.
Western Michigan ended the game quickly in overtime as Max Campbell scored for the Bronco’s just 1:11 into overtime for the game winner. Campbell was the recipient of a pass from Tyler Ludwig from behind the net and lifted it past Johnson on the glove side. The goal gave WMU a split with Alaska on the weekend.
For the game, Alaska was dismal on the power play as they couldn’t convert on any of their 11 man advantage opportunities plus they outshot Western Michigan 37-27.
The loss for Alaska ended their seven game unbeaten streak (4-0-3) and dropped the Nanooks to 9-5-4 (7-4-3-2 CCHA) and the Bronco’s are now 3-11-4 (2-8-4-1). The Nanooks have 13 days off for the holiday break before they fly to Michigan for a two game series with the Spartans of Michigan State on Jan. 2 and 3.
