Feb. 27, 2009
Box Score
Fairbanks, AK - A late power play goal off the stick of junior center Paul Crowder of Alaska Anchorage proved to be the deciding tally as the Seawolves took the first leg of the Alaska Governor's Cup on Friday night at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks 1-0.
It was the two goalies that stole in the show in the first period, making numerous big saves for their respective sides. Hobey Baker and All-American candidate Chad Johnson shut down the Seawolves attack which threw 10 shots towards cage, including a breakaway and a pair of 2-on-1 opportunities.
UAA's netminder Bryce Christianson turned away seven Alaska shots while having just four defenders on the ice for seven of the 20 minutes. The Seawolves Jared Tuton was disqualified from the game with a five minute boarding penalty for throwing Nanooks captain Adam Naglich into the boards at 12:16.
Alaska's best opportunity came when Braden Walls found himself open in front of the Seawolves cage, but his shot ricocheted off the post and went behind Christianson. However, the Nanooks were unable to capitalize on their chances and the two teams were deadlocked at zero after the first 20 minutes.
The Blue and Gold out shot Anchorage 11-10 in the second stanza but failed to score on two more man advantage chances. Anchorage had two power plays of their own, but the two arch rivals skated into the second intermission scoreless.
Alaska thought they had netted the go-ahead goal at 12:40 in the third period as Steve Vanoosten ripped his shot off the pipe, which came to Adam Cardwell, and he found the crossbar as well.
But it would be Crowder's power play goal at 16:50 that gave the Seawolves the win. With rookie Ron Meyers in the sin bin for hooking, UAA capitalized on their third man advantage of the game. With traffic in front of cage, Crowder ripped his slap shot from just inside the blue line past Johnson on the glove side for the game winner. The time of the goal was 16:49.
As time was expiring and a noisy and spirited crowd behind their home team, the Nanooks would have a flurry of chances to equalize the contest, but it was not to be. Christianson's first shutout of the year would send the Seawolves back home to Anchorage leading one game to none in the 2009 Governor's Cup.
The two teams wrap up the 16th Governor's Cup tomorrow night in Anchorage. Alaska leads the all-time series eight games to seven. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m.
