Box Score SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Lake Superior State scored 1:44 into the overtime period to give the Lakers a 3-2 win over the Alaska Nanooks on Saturday night in Western Collegiate Hockey Association action.
Alaska (6-6-0, 1-5-0 WCHA) will now return home for a Thanksgiving weekend series against No. 17 Northern Michigan.
"It was a tight checking game, with not much room to make plays," stated head coach Dallas Ferguson. "We expected this type of game after last night's wide open style of play."
After a scoreless first period, the Nanooks took the lead through Josh Atkinson who scored a 4-on-4 goal at the 17:06 mark of the middle frame. Atkinson slotted home his second goal of the season after good work by Trevor Campbell and Garrick Perry to feed him the puck.
The Nanooks would take that lead into the break, but it would not last long once the teams hit the ice for the third. Lake Superior State's Bryce Schmitt tied the game at one just 14 seconds into the period before Chris Ciotti gave LSSU the lead at the 12:49 mark.
Alaska pressed for a tying goal and was rewarded for their efforts as Shawn Hochhausen beat the Lakers' Gordon Defiel to tally his second point in as many games. Davis Jones, who was back in net for the Nanooks, made several impressive saves to keep the game knotted at one late in the third, to send the contest to the extra frame.
Unfortunately for the Nanooks it was Lake Superior State who would score, earning their first win on home ice this season.
"Through 40 minutes we had good control of the game," said Ferguson. "But, we had a couple of turnovers in the third that ended up with the puck in the back of our net."
Continued the head coach, "We battled hard this weekend and did a lot of positive things, which is why tonight is a tough way for our group to end the weekend."
Alaska will look for the immediate bounce-back on Friday and Saturday as they take on the Wildcats of Northern Michigan. Both games are set to begin at 7:07 p.m. at the Carlson Center.
