University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

Box Score BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – It was as physical as a game could be from start to finish and both defenses and goaltenders showcased their skills on the ice Saturday night as Alaska was able to battle back to tie Bowling Green 1-1 in overtime at the BGSU Ice Arena.
 
The Nanooks (8-10-4, 5-9-2 WCHA) earned their first Western Collegiate Hockey Association point in three games, scoring a third-period goal to tie the game at one goal apiece while the Falcons (12-9-5, 9-6-3 WCHA) remained unbeaten for the fifth straight game.
 
Alaska had its goal come from freshman right wing Marcus Basara (Port Moody, British Columbia/Business Administration) off a turnover in the third period for his ninth of the year while BGSU's lone score was by Mark Cooper on an unfortunate bounce off an official.
 
Sophomore goaltender John Keeney (Twin Peaks, Calif./Business Administration) recorded 26 saves, including 13 in the third period to earn a tie between the pipes, taking his season record to 3-3-2. Tommy Burke made 31 saves and single-handedly kept Alaska from gaining both league points on the night with three big stops in OT as his record went to 9-2-5.
 
Shots favored the Nanooks 32-27 but the Falcons controlled the circle for the second night in a row, winning 47 of the 82 face-offs. They also held a 19-12 advantage in blocks on the 'Nooks. The penalty kill was on point again Saturday as neither team scored on the man advantage, with Alaska going 0-for-6 and Bowling Green going 0-for-2.
 
The Falcons wasted little time lighting the lamp due in large part to major misfortune on a dump play 1:52 into the first. Ralfs Freibergs went to play the puck in the Nanooks' defensive end but it ricocheted off the body of a linesman and Keeney came out to grab the puck, allowing for Cooper to fire on the open net for the 1-0 lead.
 
The defensive struggle would keep another goal off the board for nearly 46 minutes but Alaska registered its first goal of the series on a beautiful passing play to tie it at 1-1 7:44 into the third period. The Nanooks forced a turnover in BG's defensive end and Colton Beck fed Basara in the left circle where he fired a shot top shelf for the equalizer. The goal on Burke was the first one he allowed in 131 minutes, 34 seconds.
 
In overtime, the entire arena thought Alaska was about to score the win as junior left wing Garrick Perry (Apple Valley, Minn./Communication) took the puck on a breakaway. In the offensive end with time ticking down to triple zeros in the extra frame, Perry deked and put the puck on net but Burke stonewalled him with an amazing pad save to keep the score tied until the end.
 
Alaska continues its road trip next week, Jan. 17-18, in Marquette, Mich., at WCHA foe Northern Michigan. The puck drops at 7:07 p.m. EST both nights from the Berry Events Center.