University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

Box Score

MARQUETTE, Mich. - Led by two assists from senior defenseman Aaron Gens and the lone shootout goal from junior Nik Yaremchuk, the Alaska Nanooks rallied to tie and win the shootout against the Northern Michigan Wildcats on Friday night at the Berry Events Center.

Alaska (7-9-3, 4-8-3-1 CCHA) won the shootout 1-0 behind Yaremchuk, who converted on his chance (second for the Nanooks) and was the only one of six players to score through three rounds.

After 35 minutes of scorless play, the host Wildcats opened the scoring with a power-play tally by Justin Florek at 15:00 of the second period.

Seckel doubled the home team's advantage added to the lead when he caught a pass from Gron's as he was streaking to the net and beat Greenham to make it 2-0 at 18:30 of the middle frame.

Facing a two-goal defecit heading into the final 20 minutes, the Nanooks put their nose to the grind stone and got the answers they'd been working for. Sophomore center Cody Kunyk scored an even strength goal at 7:41 in the third with assists from junior Andy Taranto and Gens.

Kunyk's linemate and fellow sophomore Colton Beck scored the equalizer with his team-leading ninth of the season at 10:54 while the Nanooks were on the power-play. Senior defenseman Scott Enders and Gens assisted in the tally's set up.

Nothing was decided in the extra session so the teams looked to the shootout. Taranto was first to shoot for the Nanooks, but NMU's Reid Ellingson turned his attempt aside. NMU's Mitch Jones was denied by Alaska's senior goalie Scott Greenham before Yaremchuk beat the 'Cats goalie for the 1-0 advantage. NMU's Tyler Gron and Reed Seckel were thwarted by Greenham as well and senior forward Carlo Finucci missed on his attempt also.

The tie marked the sixth between the teams in the last 11 contests and the shootout win was the fourth for the Nanooks in that span.

For the contest, the Nanooks went 1-for-5 on the power play and 1-for-2 on the penalty kill. Between the pipes, Greenham made 21 saves in his fourth shootout win against the 'Cats, while his counterpart made 30 stops at the other end.