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Box Score]
FAIRBANKS, AK - Three Alaska Nanooks lit the lamp in regulation and senior
Dion Knelsen netted the lone goal of the deciding shootout as the Blue and Gold bounced back from their Friday night whitewashing with a 3-3 tie and shootout win against the Michigan Wolverines Saturday night at Yost Arena.
Junior forward and assistant captain
Kevin Petovello's timing couldn't have been better. His first goal of the season was scored late in the first period and broke the Alaska Nanooks scoreless skid against the Wolverines and their netminder Bryan Hogan. Sophomore
Ron Meyers forced a rare Michigan turnover that found the stick of junior
Derek Klassen. The Nanooks' captain found a streaking Petovello on the doorstep, who beat Hogan high stickside at 18:45.
Michigan evened the game up at one goal apiece 2:15 into the second period on a redirection by freshman Chris Brown.
The Nanooks regained their lead with successive goals 29 seconds apart during a five-on-three power play in the first half of the middle frame. Dion Knelsen walked in from the corner along the bottom of the right faceoff circle to dodge a U-M defender and beat Hogan five-hole for a 2-1 lead. The visitors widened the gap with another goal when Brandon Knelsen sent the puck to Carlo Finucci rushing up the slot, allowing him to easily pop the puck into the cage.
The Wolverines cut Alaska's lead back to one goal when Kevin Lynch tipped in a centering pass on the edge of the crease to beat goalkeeper Scott Greenham with 4:49 left in the second stanza.
U-M's Chad Langlais scored the game-tying goal with 2:19 left in regulation and the score would remain knotted to force the extra session.
After a scoreless five-minute overtime, Michigan went first in the shootout and Carl Hagelin was U-M's first shooter, but his low shot was blocked by Greenham. He went on to stop the Wolverines' subsequent attempts from Brown and Louie Caparusso and seal the extra point as Alaska's second shooter, Dion Knelsen made good on his attempt when he faked forehand to get Hogan down and slid the puck in the net on his backhand for the only goal of the shootout.
Alaska returns to Fairbanks to host the league-leading Miami RedHawks Jan. 22-23 at the Carlson Center. Opening faceoff both nights is at 7:05 p.m.
