Feb. 22, 2009
Box Score
FAIRBANKS, AK - For the second time in as many nights, the Alaska Nanooks hockey team rallied to prove triumphant in their Central Collegiate Hockey Association contest against Ferris State.
This time Alaska scored late in the second period and mid-way through the third to tie the game and force the extra session, before senior center Adam Naglich's marker would give the home team the victory in the conference finale and their last two available points in the league standings. It also gave them the season sweep of the Bulldogs (4-0) and their first sweep at the Carlson Center since Feb. 1-2, 2008.
Senior forward Brendan Connolly and junior forward Aaron Lewicki got the Bulldogs (12-15-7, 9-12-5-2) out to a two-goal second period lead. The Nanooks responded with markers from junior forward Dion Knelsen, late in the second, and sophomore forward Kevin Petovello at the 13:28 mark of the third frame.
Alaska (15-11-6, 13-10-5-3) will have to watch the final week of CCHA action to determine their playoff fate, as they sit in fourth place with 34 points, just three points ahead of fifth-place Ohio State with 31. The Buckeyes closeout their conference slate with a home-and-home series against second-place Miami. Three-points is all OSU will need toc catch the Nanooks in the final standings and leapfrog them for the first round bye as they hold the tie-breaker based on goal differential.
The Blue and Gold finish up the regular season with a non-conference home-and-home tune-up with Alaska Anchorage next weekend for the 2009 Alaska Airline's Governor's Cup two-game series. Friday's game is in Fairbanks at 6:05 p.m. while Saturday's rematch at the Sullivan Arena is slated for 7:07 p.m.
