Box Score
MARQUETTE, MI -The Alaska Nanooks were knocked out of the CCHA playoffs with a 5-1 loss to Northern Michigan Saturday night at the Berry Events Center in Marquette, MI.
Aaron Gens (Baudette, MN) scored a third period power play goal to pull the Nanooks within one, but the Wildcats regained their lead two goal advantage with seven minutes remaining. Northern Michigan iced the game with two empty net goals, dashing the Nanooks dreams to play for a CCHA Championship at Joe Louis Arena next weekend.
Alaska (18-11-9, 11-9-8-4 CCHA) outshot the host Wildcats 31-20, including a decisive 12-2 advantage in the first period. The Alaska defense held Northern Michigan without a shot for the first 12:39 of the period, gathering six shots during that span.
Northern Michigan (19-11-8, 13-9-6-3) was up to the task, blocking 24 shots, while nine different players gather at least point.
After a scoreless first period, where the Nanooks failed on two power play chances, the Wildcats drew first blood on a goal from Justin Florek only 31 seconds into the second stanza. Mark Olver picked the pocket of a Nanooks defender behind the net and fed a cross crease pass to Florek who beat Nanooks goaltender Scott Greenham (Addison, ON).
Northern Michigan tacked on another goal less than four minutes later when Matt Butcher scored a power play goal from Andrew Cherniwchan and Kyle Follmer.
Down by two the Nanooks fought back, and got back into the game, with the Gens power play goal four minutes into the third period. Dion Knelsen (Three Hills, AB) worked the puck to Joe Sova (Berwyn, IL) who fed Gens for the one time goal that snuck under the cross bar.
That was as close as Alaska would get, however, as Greger Hanson regained the two goal advantage with only seven minutes left in the contest on a cross ice feed from Tyler Gron. Gron and Ray Kaunisto chipped in empty net goals in the final two minutes to seal the win.
Greenham made 15 saves with the Wildcats' Brian Stewart making 30 saves.
Berry Events Center has been a house of horrors for Alaska, only going 1-14-5 on the Wildcats home ice, with the only win coming February 5, 2005.
Despite the loss head coach Dallas Ferguson still feels the season has been successful. “This year we built off of last year and the guys have a lot to be proud of.” said Ferguson, “They can be proud of their effort and what they have accomplished as a group.”
Alaska is still alive for an at-large berth in the NCAA national tournament that starts March 26. Alaska currently sits 13th in the PairWise rankings, which mimic the formula the NCAA Hockey Tournament Committee uses to select the 16-team field for the Division I national tournament.
