HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Alaska Nanooks hockey team earned their third victory in four games with a 3-1 Western Collegiate Hockey Association win over the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers on Friday evening at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville. The win improves Alaska's overall record to 7-16-2 and 7-11-1-1 in conference contests, while the Chargers drop to 6-20-1 overall and 6-12-1-1 in league play.

Prior to Friday's game, the Chargers and the Nanooks were deadlocked for the seventh place position in the WCHA standings, each with 20 points. Alaska walks away from Friday's game with three crucial league points, taking sole possession of seventh place in the conference rankings with 23 points.

"Tonight was a big three points for our hockey club," head coach Erik Largen said on Friday. "We found a way to win through our special teams and goaltending. We need to be better five-on-five and not feed into their game so much with our turnovers and play away from the puck. Tomorrow, we know we need to elevate our play to have an opportunity to win against a hungry UAH team."

Alabama-Huntsville opened up the scoring on Friday, as freshman forward Bauer Neudecker earned his fifth goal of the season at the 8:16 mark of the first period. Neudecker picked up a loose puck at the Alaska blue line and skated in the zone wide before beating Alaska Nanooks junior goaltender Anton Martinsson backhand blocker to give the home team a 1-0 lead. Neudecker's tally was assisted by Jack Jeffers and Madison Dunn.

Early in the second period, Alabama-Huntsville's Bailey Newton took a five-minute major and game misconduct for checking from behind, putting the Nooks on a five-minute power play. Junior forward Kylar Hope scored his fifth goal of the season on the man-advantage to tie the game 1-1 at the 6:26 mark of the second stanza. Fellow junior forward Colton Leiter received the puck while manning the flank before walking into the high slot, dragging a UAH defender with him. Leiter was able to chip the puck down to sophomore forward Steven Jandric at the bottom of the circle, before Hope was able to tip in S. Jandric's pass along the crease.

Alaska took a 2-1 lead at the 10:08 mark of the second period, courtesy of Leiter, who's even-strength goal will also count as the game-winner. Senior forward Chad Staley's work on the forecheck rewarded him, as he walked out of the corner toward UAH netminder Mark Sinclair. Staley's pass through the slot found Leiter walking in backdoor for his fourth of the season. Staley was awarded the primary assist on Leiter's tally, while senior defenseman Nikolas Koberstein received the secondary.

Sophomore forward Max Newton sealed the Alaska victory at the 9:02 mark of the third period, netting his sixth of the season. Like the goal prior, Staley's work on the forecheck worked out for the Nanooks, as Kennewick, Washington native found himself with the puck once again, this time walking up the wall before dragging four UAH players with him into the high slot. Staley chipped the puck back to Newton, who beat Sinclair far shoulder.

A trio of Nanooks earned two-point nights, including Leiter (one goal, one assist), Staley (two assists) and Koberstein (two assists).

In net, Martinsson stayed strong by turning away 31 of UAH's 32 shots on goal, including a penalty shot in the third period. On the other end of the ice, UAH's Sinclair made 26 saves.

In the special teams race, Alaska went 1-for-4 on the man-advantage but a perfect 7-for-7 on the penalty kill. Friday marks the third-straight game Alaska hasn't given up a power play goal, going 17-for-17 down a man.

The Alaska Nanooks will face the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville again tomorrow (Saturday, Jan. 26), with puck-drop set for 4:07pm AKST.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Hockey team page on Facebook.