Box Score FAIRBANKS – The Alaska Nanooks scored three goals in the third period to upset the No. 1 team in the nation, Minnesota State, by a 3-1 score in its regular season home finale at the Carlson Center on Saturday night.
Tyler Morley scored the game tying goal just 41 seconds into the third period, and added an empty netter to seal the victory for Alaska. Garrick Perry scored his third straight game winning goal for the Nanooks, as he tipped in a goal from Zach Frye's shot, with just over two minutes to play, giving Alaska its first lead of the series.
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With the win, Alaska moves to 15-13-2 overall and 10-12-2 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The Nanooks also claim the season series over the Mavericks, who fall to 23-6-2 overall and 19-3-2 in the conference, as they finish the year 2-1-1 against their top-ranked foe.
The two teams cancelled each other out in the first period, with shots practically even at 8-7. Both teams traded penalties in the opening frame as well, but the penalty kills which were so impressive last night, continued tonight as the teams combined to go 0-4 in the first period.
Senior Sean Cahill stopped all seven shots he faced, while Stephon Williams matched him in net for the Mavericks, making all eight saves he could.
It was not until late in the second period that either team would find the back of the net. Zach Palmquist scored the first power play goal for MSU on the weekend, as he beat Cahill after passes from JP Lafontaine and Micha Huntebrinker.
The second period ended with Alaska again edging the shots, 21-18, but trailed 1-0 on the scoreboard.
Alaska wasted no time in the third period to tie the game, as the penalty kill which has impressed throughout, scored a shorthanded goal just 41 seconds into the period. Perry broke out of the neutral zone and drove hard to the net, where T. Morley was there to bury the puck past Williams.
Both teams pushed for a winning goal, which seemed unlikely to come as the game moved towards overtime for the second consecutive night. However, Perry would ensure that the Nanooks ended the home portion of the season on a winning note as he tipped in the would-be game-winning goal.
Alaska produced good puck movement below the net, when T. Morley fed the puck to Trevor Campbell who slid it to Frye. Frye then sent a slap shot towards the net that Perry was able to tip past Williams for his second point of the night.
The Mavericks pulled their goaltender with two minutes to play, as they pressed for an equalizer. T. Morley intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and slid it calmly into the open net to seal the upset victory.
Alaska finished the night outshooting MSU for the second consecutive game, this time by a 32-25 tally. Cahill made 24 saves in his final game at home as a Nanook.
The Nanooks are now idle for a week before they travel to Alabama to take on the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers and close out the Governor's Cup against Alaska Anchorage in March.
