Box Score HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Colton Parayko's blast from the point in overtime gave Alaska a 4-3, come-from-behind victory to complete its Western Collegiate Hockey Association season sweep of Alabama Huntsville on Saturday night.
Parayko scored his second goal of the game just 15 seconds into the extra period, as the Nanooks twice came from behind to earn the victory. With the win, Alaska will head into next weekend's Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup with a full-head of steam as it improves to 17-13-2 overall and 12-12-2 in the league. Alaska has now won three games in a row, five of its last six games and finishes February unbeaten, with a 5-0-1 record. The Chargers decline to 8-22-4 and 7-18-1 and are still chasing the elusive point that would clinch them a trip to the WCHA playoffs.
Doug Reid scored 20 seconds into the game from an awkward angle, to give Alabama Huntsville the lead. In a game that took the same pattern as last night, Alaska amped the pressure on Carmine Guerriero in the Charger net, but were unable to tie the game in the opening stages.
That Nanook pressure paid dividends on the power play, however, as the Nanooks would tally back-to-back goals with the man advantage. First, at the 11:58 mark, Tyler Morley made a nifty move in front of the net and back-handed past Guerriero to knot the game at one.
Parayko then gave Alaska the lead with a howitzer from the blue line, again on the power play, with 16:44 gone in the first period. But less than a minute later, Max McHugh tied the game at two, as his wrister from the top of the circles eluded Sean Cahill.
At the end of 20 minutes, the game was tied at two, but Alaska held the shot advantage, 17-7.
In the second period, Alaska again fell behind, as McHugh tallied his second of the game at the 6:37 mark, to give UAH a 3-2 lead. That lead would last until there were six seconds left in the middle frame, as Trevor Campbell scored from the point after he was fed by T. Morley and Garrick Perry.
The second period ended similarly to the first, with Alaska not reaping the rewards their offense deserved, as after 40 minutes they held a 32-14 shot advantage.
Neither team mustered much offense in the third period, with both sides cancelling each other out. There were only 13 total shots on goal (eight for Alaska, five for Huntsville) and they were all turned aside by Cahill and Guerriero.
It did not take long for the Nanooks to find the winner in overtime, however, as a failed clearance fell to the stick of Parayko whose long ranged shot found the back of the net, sending the Nanooks home winners.
Alaska now returns to the Great North for a two-game series against Alaska Anchorage to decide the Alaska Airlines Governors' Cup. The Nanooks must win both games in Anchorage and take the shootout, to retain the trophy. That series will span from March 6-7 with both contests slated for 7:07 p.m. AKT.
