University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

Box Score MARQUETTE, Mich. – It was a 2-1 game after 40 minutes and appeared it would be a defensive struggle to the finish but Northern Michigan and Alaska each scored three goals apiece in the third period as the hosts were able to skate off the ice with a 5-4 Western Collegiate Hockey Association victory Friday night at the Berry Events Center.
 
The Wildcats (9-10-2, 7-5-1 WCHA) won for the third straight time while the Nanooks (8-11-2, 5-10-2 WCHA) remained winless for the fourth-straight outing after winning the first game of 2014. NMU also extended its all-time home record against Alaska to 17-1-7.
 
Northern had five different goal scorers on the night and a pair of players notched two points apiece as Erik Higby had one goal and one assist while Jake Baker tallied two assists.
 
Each member of Alaska's second forward line lit the lamp Friday in freshman Brandon Morley (Burnaby, British Columbia/Business Administration), sophomore Tyler Morley (Burnaby, British Columbia/Business Administration) and junior Garrick Perry (Apple Valley, Minn./Communication) while sophomore Colton Parayko (St. Albert, Alberta/Business Administration) had the final score for the 'Nooks.
 
Parayko had a multi-point night as he added an assist while seniors Cody Kunyk (Sherwood Park, Alberta/Business Administration) and Michael Quinn (Surrey, British Columbia/Geography) both notched a pair of helpers in the defeat.
 
Mathias Dahlstrom picked up the win in net for MMU after making 28 saves, including two big ones late in the third to preserve the win, to even his record at 8-8-2 while sophomore netminder John Keeney (Twin Peaks, Calif./Business Administration) dropped to 3-4-2 after stopping 12 shots on 17 faced.
 
Alaska outshot Northern 32-17 and scored three of four goals on the power play while holding an 11-6 advantage on blocks but the home team controlled the face-off circle 43-25.
 
Northern was plagued by penalties in the opening 20 minutes, as Alaska took advantage on one of its four power-play chances in the period to take a 1-0 lead in the first. Colton Parayko fed the puck to Cody Kunyk in the slot and moving to the right of the crease, he backhanded a pass to Perry in front who beat Dahlstrom stick side.
 
The Wildcats answered back with two quick goals early in the second to grab a 2-1 advantage. The Nanooks controlled possession on a power play but was caught on a line change and Ryan Daugherty went to the net all alone and used a nice deking-move to beat Keeney 1:08 into the stanza to tie it at 1-1.
 
Just over two minutes later, Ryan Kest worked the puck across the blue and took a shot from the top of the circle that went five-hole for the score and 2-1 lead at 3:13 of the second stanza and the score would remain idle for the rest of the period.
 
The Wildcats opened the third quickly with a goal as Higby corralled the puck off an initial save by Keeney and was able to put it home off the rebound 42 seconds in to make it a 3-1 lead.
 
The Nanooks answered back at 3:19 on the man advantage, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Kunyk brought the puck up the left side into the offensive zone and fed Brandon Morley with a centering pass and he ripped it top shelf for the second goal of his career.
 
Shortly after, NMU regained a two-goal lead 5:43 into the final frame when John Seimer controlled the puck off a save as he was able to get another rebound goal for the hosts, making it 4-2.
 
The Nanooks cut it back to one just over three minutes later off a turnover. Tyler Morley intercepted a pass at center ice and despite being on a 1-on-2 break in the offensive zone, used a defenseman to block Dahlstrom's vision and the second-year center sniped it high over his glove to put the score at 4-3.
 
At 10:19, Northern scored the eventual game winner with a scramble in front of the net. After Keeney made one save Gerald Hanson was able to push the puck past Alaska's goaltender in the scrum and an official review upheld the call, giving NMU a 5-3 advantage.
 
Alaska wasn't finished, however, as it struck for a third power-play goal at 11:31. At the top, Quinn dished the puck from left to right over to Parayko and he fired a shot from the top of the right circle, beating Dahlstrom for his second tally of the year, cutting the deficit back to one goal for the third time in the final 20 minutes.
 
With 57 seconds, left, Alaska went to an extra attacker, pulling Keeney as it trailed Northern 5-4. The Wildcats had a few chances to shut the door but shot attempts on the open cage went wide. In the closing 10 seconds, the 'Nooks manufactured a few good chances, putting the puck on net twice while a third shot whistled wide as time expired.
 
Alaska and NMU complete the weekend set Saturday night at 7:07 p.m. in what will be the fourth and final meeting of the year between the programs.