HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Alaska Nanooks hockey team split the weekend with the University of Alabama-Huntsville after falling 3-1 to the Chargers in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association contest at the Von Braun Center on Saturday evening. The Nanooks drop their overall record to 6-12-4 and 4-10-4 in WCHA play, while the Chargers improve to 5-15-2 overall, 3-11-2 WCHA.
With two points on the weekend, the Nanooks are tied for eighth place with in-state rival Alaska-Anchorage with 12 points each. Also with two points on the weekend, the Chargers remain in 10th place in the WCHA standings with eight points.
The Nanooks outshot their opponent 29-27, with junior goaltender Davis Jones making 24 saves. On the other end of the ice, Huntsville's Matt Larose made 28 saves on the night, including 13 in the third period. Alabama-Huntsville was the only team to capitalize on the man-advantage on the night, going 1-of-5, while Alaska was 0-of-2.
It was almost déjà vu for the Nanooks, as the Huntsville Chargers struck first, taking a 2-0 lead in the first period. At the 3:09 mark of the first, Cody Marooney capitalized on a neutral zone turnover for his fourth goal of the season. Marooney intercepted a Nanooks D-to-D pass before heading on a breakaway and firing a high slapshot past Jones.
Three minutes later (6:59), the Chargers extended their lead to two goals after Josh Kestner scored on a 5-on-3 power play. Huntsville's Cam Knight and Kurt Gosselin were moving the puck back and forth along the top of the circle before Gosselin shot through a seam, where Kestner was able to tip-in a shot while screening Jones.
After a scoreless second period, Kestner scored his second goal of the game at the 6:59 mark of the third period, putting the Chargers up 3-0. As the Nanooks were breaking out of their own defensive zone, a pass up to the forwards went off of a shin pad of a forechecking Charger player, ending up right in front of Kestner. Kestner came in the zone alone, making a move on Jones before putting it away on his forehand.
The lone Alaska goal came late in the third period (18:01) when sophomore forward Colton Sparrow scored his third goal of the season. The play began when senior defenseman Josh Atkinson broke up a play in the neutral zone, sending sophomore forward Peter Krieger and junior forward Marcus Basara up the ice on a 2-on-3. Krieger tried to get a shot off but the puck continued into the corner for Basara to pick-up. Basara swung around the net, taking a Charger defenseman with him before giving a backhanded pass to Sparrow, who was alone in front after crashing the net hard.
The Alaska Nanooks continue their two-week WCHA road trip by heading to Marquette, Michigan for a two-game road series against the Northern Michigan University Wildcats Jan. 15-16 at the Berry Events Center. Puck drop is set for 3:07 p.m. AST.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Hockey page on Facebook.
