ANCHORAGE, AK – The Alaska Nanooks took a step in the right direction towards defending their 2008 Kendall Hockey Classic title Friday night, as they blanked the University of Michigan Wolverines 2-0 in a non-conference encounter at the Sullivan Arena in front of 3,547 fans. It marked Alaska's first-ever shutout against Michigan through 45 meetings.
Sophomore goalie Scott Greenham (Addison, ON, Oakville (OPJHL)) made 23 saves to record his third career shutout, second at the Sullivan Arena and in Kendall Classic play, and remain unbeaten in his first five career starts (4-0-1): the first Nanook netminder to do so. He also recorded his first career assist on Joe Sova (Berwyn, IL, Omaha (USHL))'s third-period goal.
Greenham made a pad save on a Wolverine shot that dribbled just outside the crease. Sova picked up the puck, skated coast-to-coast and then ripped a shot just as he crossed the Wolverine's blue line that beat U-M's Brian Hogan to make it 2-0 at 3:52. The Wolverines continued to press offensively, but Greenham was sharp between the pipes turning aside all eight shots he faced in the final frame.
The second period saw Alaska's offense step up, doubling U-M's shot total (6-3) and keep the puck in the Wolverine's end long enough to pay dividends just over half way through the stanza.
Rookie left wing Chad Gehon (Kelowna, BC, Westside (BCHL)) took a feed in the slot from sophomore right wing Justin Filzen and fired it toward Hogan. The shot was deflected high and off the glass behind the goal, where sophomore center Ron Meyers (Prince Albert, SK, Lloydminster (AJHL)) collected it, skated above the goal line and fed it back to Gehon between the circles, who wristed the puck through Hogan's five-hole to make it 1-0 at 10:10.
The scoreboard saw no change in the first 20 minutes of play, although there was plenty of action on the ice. The Nanooks trailed 12-3 in shots, but the defensive corps and Greenham were steady, stopping two short-handed attempts after a turnover below the goal line and a point-blank shot from U-M's Carl Hagelin during a 3-on-2 rush.
In spite of finishing the night 0-for-5 on the power play, the Nanooks improved to 1-0 on the season. Their penalty-killing unit was also perfect 3-of-3. Hogan had 11 saves for U-M in the loss.
The Nanooks return to the ice Saturday at 4:07 p.m. to take on the Mercyhurst Lakers for their final game of the tournament and the weekend. The live game telecast from Sullivan Arena in Anchorage will be shown on KFXF Fox 7 in Fairbanks.
