COLUMBUS, OH - The Alaska Nanooks were less than 10 seconds away from capturing a three-point victory Friday afternoon, when the Ohio State Buckeyes rallied to tie the game 3-3 and force overtime. Neither team could break the stalemate in the five-minute extra session and the host Buckeyes took the shootout via a 1-0 decision for the extra point in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Standings.
In addition to a 31-save performance from
Scott Greenham, the Blue and Gold got a power-play goal from
Jarret Granberg, a short-handed tally from
Nik Yaremchuk and an even-strength maker from
Derek Klassen. OSU proved stingy hosts through, fighting their way back after trailing twice to tie the contest, force overtime and prevail in the shootout, 1-0.
The Nanooks were outshot 18-4 in the third period after taking a 22-14 shot advantage and 3-2 lead into the lockerroom at the end of the second period
Alaska opened the scoring, after taking a 1–0 lead at 9:12, just 34 seconds into their first power play of the game. Granberg got his third goal of the season, capitalizing on a rebound off a Colton Beck shot.
Yaremchuk gave the visitors a 2–0 lead, when he beat OSU's Cal Heeter backhanded on his glove side while skating shorthanded. The Buckeyes answered back just 31 seconds later while still on the power play to cut their deficit.
The Blue and Gold regained their the two-goal lead when Klassen one-timed a nifty pass from Joe Sova at 9:39 of the second stanza. Ohio State responded again, this time 2:55 later, when Peter Boyd slipped a shot from the point under Greenham's shoulder.
Both teams meet for the weekend cap on Saturday night at 8 p.m. at Nationwide Arena.
