University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

Box Score MARQUETTE, Mich. - Northern Michigan took a two-goal lead early in the game and it looked as if a sweep was in its sights but Alaska had other plans as the Morley brothers combined for three of the team's four goals, leading to a 4-3 come-from-behind victory in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play Saturday night at the Berry Events Center.

Trailing 2-0 in the second, sophomore Tyler Morley (Burnaby, British Columbia/Business Administration) scored twice three minutes apart to tie it at two goals apiece and in the third, the Nanooks (9-11-4, 6-10-2 WCHA) struck twice only 20 seconds apart on goals by redshirt junior Jared Larson (Apple Valley, Minn./Business Administration) and freshman Brandon Morley (Burnaby, British Columbia/Business Administration).

The Nanooks won for the first time in five games and the victory Saturday marked the program's second win ever on the road against the Wildcats (9-11-2, 7-6-1 WCHA).

Sophomore goaltender John Keeney (Twin Peaks, Calif./Business Administration) made 23 saves to pick up the victory and even his record to 4-4-2 on the year while Mathias Dahlstrom made 23 stops and fell to 8-9-2.

Alaska outshot Northern Michigan 27-26 but the hosts dominated in the face-off circle 43-12. Alaska went 1-for-3 on the power play while going a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill.
 
The Wildcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead only 1:51 into the first period. Erik Higby dished it off to John Siemer on a 2-on-1 break in the offensive zone and Siemer quickly passed it back to Higby, who tapped it past an out-of-position Keeney for the score.
 
Higby struck again at 6:27 of the first to double the advantage to 2-0. Siemer used a nice pass behind the back and Higby collected the puck and buried it five-hole for his second of the night and sixth goal of the year.
 
Alaska cut the deficit in half to 2-1 with a power-play goal 3:35 into the second period. Working on the right side, freshman Marcus Basara (Port Moody, British Columbia/Business Administration) fired a shot into the pad of Dahlstrom and Tyler Morley was able to corral the puck off the rebound out in front and shoot it past NMU's netminder for his 11th goal of the year.
 
Like Higby did in the first, Morley rose to the occasion with his second of the night on beautiful wrap-around goal at 6:35 of the second period. Sophomore Josh Atkinson (Spruce Grove, Alberta/Business Administration) fed the puck to Tyler Morley behind the net and he went around the right edge and snuck it past Dahlstrom to square the game at 2-2.
 
In the third, Alaska used a pair of goals 20 seconds apart to get what it needed for victory. Sophomore Nolan Huysmans (Ponoka, Alberta/Business Administration) brought the puck in the offensive zone and on a 2-on-1 rush, he fed it to Larson, who one-timed it home outside the left crease at 9:37 to give Alaska the 3-2 lead.
 
Twenty seconds later, NMU looked to get it out of its defensive end but Brandon Morley intercepted the pass and fired a shot past Dahlstrom to give the 'Nooks a 4-2 lead in what would be the eventual game winner at 9:57.
 
Northern didn't quit, going to an extra attacker late in regulation and John Siemer scored with 1:27 left to make it 4-3. That would be all the scoring the 'Cats would get as Alaska held on for the 4-3 triumph.
 
Alaska returns home next weekend, Jan. 24-25, as it hosts Bemidji State for a pair of games at the Carlson Center. The puck drops at 7:07 p.m. both nights.