Box Score
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - Despite goals from three different skaters, the Alaska Nanooks lost a hard-fought battle to No. 12/13 Ferris State, falling 4-3 to the Bulldogs on Saturday night at Ewigleben Ice Arena.
Alaska got goals from junior forwards
Jarret Granberg and
Andy Taranto and senior forward and team captain
Ron Meyers and led early in the final frame, but the Bulldogs would not roll over and powered back to scored twice and take the second enocunter of the weekend. The loss drops the Blue and Gold to 7-11-4 on the season and 4-10-4-2 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.
For the second straight game the Nanooks struck first for the early lead. A high-sticking penalty to FSU's Travis Ouellete at 1:17 gave the visitors a choice opportunity they made good on. Granberg burried the puck past Bulldog goalie Taylor Nelson at 1:44, with assistance from junior
Nik Yaremchuk and senior
Scott Enders, for his second goal in as many games and fourth point of the weekend.
The host Bulldogs were quick to answer back, getting on the board less than two minutes later with a strike by Jordie Johnson. Matthew Kirzinger won an offensive zone face-off back to Johnston, who sent a wrist shot that beat Greenham at 3:31 to make it 1-1.
Four Alaska penalties later, the score was still knotted at one as the teams skated to the locker room for the first intermission.
The second stanza saw FSU take the lead with the only goal of the period. Chad Billins made it 2-1 at 8:37 and the lead would hold as the teams headed into the third.
Down but not out, the Nanooks needed just 34 seconds to tie the game at 2-2 with Taranto's marker off the face-off win by sophomore
Cody Kunyk.
Meyers scored at 7:55 with help from rookie
Garrick Perry and senior
Justin Filzen to give Alaska a 3-2 lead, but Kirzinger beat Greenham with the equalizer just 1:36 later to make it 3-3 at 7:55.
A hooking penalty to Taranto, the Nanooks eighth minor of the night, set the Bulldogs up for the game-winning play. Garrett Thompson scored the go-ahed and eventual game-winning power-play goal at 14:30 to seal the home team's win.
Alaska pulled Greenham in the final minute of the game in favor of an extra attacker and a penalty to Kirzinger in the final 34 seconds gave them a two-man advantage; however, It wasn't enough for the Nanooks to change their fate and force overtime.
The Nanooks return to Alaska to host a four-game homestand, staring with the Bowling Green Falcons next weekend at the Carlson Center.
