[Box Score]
FAIRBANKS, AK - No. 12 Alaska used two goals, and the game-winning shootout goal, from Andy Taranto to take two points from the Northern Michigan Wildcats after skating to a 3-3 tie in overtime and prevailing 2-1 in the deciding shootout Friday night at the Carlson Center. Alaska scored three power-play goals and outshot the Wildcats 41-28 to remain unbeaten in the last two games.
The Nanooks opened the game buzzing and created three great scoring chances right off the bat but could not beat Wildcats goaltender Brian Stewart. Northern Michigan was able to weather the storm and get on the scoreboard first at the 7:21 mark. NMU forward Ray Kaunisto gathered a rebound off the pads of Nanook goalkeeper Scott Greenham and went top shelf for the early lead.
Alaska responded with the equalizer at the 10:31 mark, when NMU's Mike Maltese took a boarding penalty to give Alaska its first power-play opportunity. The Blue and Gold needed just 15 seconds to make the Wildcats pay as Jarret Granberg and Dustin Sather deflected a shot from the point by Bryant Molle past Stewart.
The second period started out similar to the first, as Kaunisto turned on the red light for the second time to make it 2-1 at 4:56. He gathered the puck from behind the Nanooks net and walked it into the slot, where he beat Greenham short side to regain the lead for the visitors.
Just as had happened in the opening frame, the Nanooks found their answer when skating on the power play. The Wildcats were caught with too many men on the ice at 8:09 setting up Alaska's second game-tying goal. Rookie Andy Taranto made the Wildcats wish they had the extra man on the ice when he deflected in a Nik Yaremchuk shot past Stewart to knot the score again.
Taranto scored the Nanooks third power play goal of the game when he took a one-time pass from Aaron Gens and put it into a wide-open net to give the home team their first lead of the game. Sophomore winger Carlo Finucci pulled goaltender Stewart out of his crease and two one-time passes later the Nanooks gained their first lead of the game and sent 3,204 fans in attendance to their feet in celebration.
Alaska held an overwhelming 16-6 shot advantage in the second period, 10 of whichs came on the three power-play chances that resulted in a pair of markers.
Both teams skated even in the third period until NMU mustered an equalizing tally of their own at 11:13. Justin Florek worked the puck from the point to Jared Brown on the left faceoff circle and Brown threw the puck across the crease to a wide open Greggor Hanson, who tapped it into the net.
Alaska got their shot at redemption when they were awarded their sixth power play of the night at the 13:19 mark but couldn't manage a shot in the Wildcats best penalty-kill effort of the night.
With the score deadlocked at three at the end of regulation, both teams skated to a scoreless overtime period that only saw two combined shots, one for each team.
After both Mark Olver and Ryan Hohl scored in the shootout session Greenham would stop Hanson dead in the water for a huge momentum shift. Taranto completed a highlight reel night by beating Stewart on the backhand to give the Nanooks the shootout victory and another key point in the CCHA standings.
Greenham finished with 25 saves on 28 shots while Stewart finished with 38 saves in the 41 shots he faced. Hanson led all skaters on the night with a goal and two assists for the Wildcats while Taranto scored two goals in regulation and the deciding one in the shootout.
Alaska moves to 8-3-2 overall and 5-3-1-1 in the CCHA, while the Wildcats now hold a 4-3-2 overall mark and 4-3-2-0 line in the league standings. The Nanooks finished the game 3 of 6 on the power play, amassing 15 shots with the man-advantage and won 37 of the 62 faceoffs (60%) with Derek Klassen and Dion Knelsen winning 12 apiece.
The Nanooks and Wildcats will return to the ice on Saturday to finish their CCHA weekend series at the Carlson Center. Puck drop is set for 7:35 p.m. Alaska time.
