[Box Score]
FAIRBANKS, AK — The Alaska Nanooks had a few accomplishments on the way to a 4-0 victory over Western Michigan in Friday night's opener of their Central Collegiate Hockey Association first-round playoff series at the Carlson Center.
Alaska matched its 17-win total for all of last season, and the win over the Broncos raised the Nanooks' unbeaten streak to nine games, equaling the team-record streaks in the 1982-83 and 1992-93 seasons. Sophomore goaltender Scott Greenham (Addison, ON, Oakville (OPJHL)) earned his 17th win of the season, setting a single-season record for victories by a Nanooks netminder. He also denied 16 shots for his fourth shutout this season and sixth of his career.
The most significant accomplishment Friday for Alaska was moving one win closer to advancing to next weekend's quarterfinal round.
The Nanooks, led by a goal and an assist from junior left wing Kevin Petovello (Sparwood, BC, Victoria (BCHL)) and two assists from junior center and team captain Derek Klassen (Whitehorse, YT, Ft. McMurray (AJHL)), see the team-tying or matching marks as irrelevant because they want to see the next round of the playoffs.
“All the individual stuff doesn't mean anything to our guys. It's all about winning,” Alaska assistant coach Brian Meisner said. “It's great that we matched the win total from last season, but it doesn't mean anything if we can't get out of this first round.”
“We know we have to fight to win here tomorrow,” Meisner said.
Alaska, with its other goals Friday from senior center Dion Knelsen (Three Hills, AB, Drumheller (AJHL)), sophomore defenseman Aaron Gens (Baudette, MN) and freshman center Nik Yaremchuk (St. Albert, AB, Sherwood Park (AJHL)), is facing a Western Michigan team that last season lost to Lake Superior in the opener of a first-round series and came back to win the next two games on its home ice in Kalamazoo, Mich.
“That team over there didn't quit (on Friday). They were paddling all the way to the end,” Meisner said of the 12th-seeded Broncos (8-19-8). “We know we've got a lot of work to do here (today), and we've got to do whatever it takes, and we're a long way from this series being over.”
A win by Western Michigan in tonight's Game 2 would force a third game at 5 p.m. Sunday.
Greenham is among those Nanooks who are oblivious to statistics and records, though his shutout is one less than the team career record shared by Wylie Rogers (2004-08) and Chad Johnson (2005-09).
“Obviously, it's a bonus if you get a shutout, but that's not the goal,” Greenham said. “The goal is to win the games.”
Friday's win was aided by sound position play. Alaska had a 16-8 advantage in blocks and the Nanooks backchecked and forechecked well down low against the Broncos, who generated some quality chances despite getting outshot 44-16 by the hosts.
“I think what they do exceptionally well is they really take away the middle of the rink,” Western Michigan head coach Jim Culhane said. “They really play their game within the (faceoff) dots.”
Western Michigan had 29 attempts that Alaska (17-9-9) either blocked or the Broncos shot wide.
“Obviously, they're doing a good job of getting their bodies on a puck or getting in shooting lanes, or we're not getting enough pucks to the net,” Culhane said. “We've got a find way going into (tonight) to get more pucks to the net and try some get some rebound opportunities, too.”
Alaska made good on four opportunities starting with a 2-0 lead in the first period.
Petovello scored with a quick wrist shot from the slot at 13:29, aided by linemate Brandon Knelsen's delivery from the right corner.
“I was able to jump in a hole and Brandon found me with that pass,” Petovello said.
Knelsen's brother, Dion, got a fortunate bounce at 17:52. Alaska's leading goal scorer this season (18) drilled the puck from the along the goal line, intending to catch a streaking linemate Dustin Sather (Wanham, AB, Grand Prarie (AJHL)). Instead, the puck deflected off Broncos defenseman Tyler Ludwig's stick and hopped over goaltender Riley Gill's glove-side shoulder.
Freshman right wing Andy Taranto (Woodridge, IL, Fargo (USHL)) assisted for his 40th point, making him the first Nanook to reach that mark since left wing Kyle Greentree finished the 2006-07 season with 42 points.
Alaska led 3-0 on a 4-on-4 play at 14:27 of the second period with Gens' wrist shot from the slot, courtesy of Petovello's centering pass from the right half-boards.
Petovello had taken a chip pass from Klassen, who had intercepted a backhand pass by Broncos defenseman Mike Levendusky near the right point.
“Peto had quite a bit of time because it was a 4-on-4,” Klassen said. “He made a good heads-up play to Gens, and it was nice to see it go in.”
Yaremchuk added insurance at 11:51 of the third, scoring on a 2-on-1 with left wing Carlo Finucci (Burnaby, BC).
