Feb. 21, 2009
Box Score
Fairbanks, AK – The Alaska Nanooks used late third period heroics to score two goals for a come-from-behind Central Collegiate Athletic Conference victory over the visiting Bulldogs of Ferris State Friday night at the Carlson Center.
Ferris State jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 15:31 of the first frame after the officials reviewed the goal that Justin Menke ripped past netminder Chad Johnson. It appeared as though there was a Bulldog in the crease screening Johnson’s view, however the review of the goal let it stand.
After two periods of play, Alaska trailed FSU by one goal. Frustrated offensively after going scoreless through their first five man-advantage opportunities, the Nanooks got the spark they needed to ignite their comeback.
With senior forward Trevor Hyatt sitting in the sin-bin for a hooking minor, sophomore forward Kevin Petovello and junior defenseman Dustin Molle poured on some offensive pressure. Molle fired the puck from the left point toward FSU’s netminder Pat Nagle, where a screening Petovello deflected the shot high over Nagle’s left shoulder for the short-handed equalizer. Rookie rearguard Aaron Gens assisted on the tally.
Just under three minutes later the Nanooks would double up, when rookie Ron Meyers lit the lamp at 13:21. Nagle made the initial stop on a shot by Alaska’s Ryan Hohl, but Meyers found the rebound under the goalie’s pads to poke it free across the goal line.
Despite outshooting the Bulldogs 32-29, the Nanooks power-play woes continued as they were 0-for-7, while the penalty-kill continued to be stingy denying FSU in all three of its attempts.
The win gives Alaska (14-11-6, 12-10-5-3) 32 points and assures they will finish no worse than fifth place in the CCHA standings. Should the Nanooks sweep the Bulldogs and Ohio State lose to Michigan Saturday, Alaska will clinch fourth place and a first-round bye in the postseason.
The two teams meet again Saturday at 5:05 p.m. for the series-finale and the Nanooks’ final CCHA contest of the regular-season. The match-up will be aired live on Comcast Local (Michigan) and the NHL Network in Canada, while KFXF Fox 7 in Fairbanks will show the game tape delay at 12:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Sunday.
