FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks hockey team rebounded from their game one loss to Bemidji State and defeated the Beavers Saturday, Nov. 2, 3-1. The win evens the Nanooks back up on the season record at 5-5-0, 4-2-0-0 WCHA.
The Nanooks struck right out of the gates;
Tristan Thompson took a pass from
Kylar Hope and
Max Newton and fired a shot right past BSU goalkeeper, Zach Driscoll, giving the 'Nooks an early lead. The shorthanded goal ended the Alaska goal-drought after not scoring for the previous seven periods. Just over five minutes later, the Nanooks struck again. This time it was
Justin Young who added to the score with his fourth of the season. Young took a centering pass from Hope and Thompson and extended the 'Nooks lead to 2-0.
That lead was cut in half soon after, however, when Bemidji State Fr., D, Elias Rosen scored his first collegiate goal off of Nick Cardelli and Brad Johnson assists.
"Our guys responded, they worked hard in the summer, they worked hard in training camp and they work hard in practices, when you work hard in those moments you'll get rewarded eventually and I think we're starting to see a little bit of that." Head coach
Erik Largen felt his team's response was an outcome of the hours and work they've been putting in.
The third period saw the score remain the same until late when
Tyler Cline took a pass from Newton and capitalized on a BSU open net, sending his fourth of the year into the back of the net, cementing the win for the Nanooks on their home-ice. This was the first win in front of the home-crowd for the Nanooks who will remain at home for the next three of four weeks.
Alaska was outshot in the Nov. 2 competition, but that did not phase the Nanooks Sr., G,
Anton Martinsson who had another outstanding performance between the pipes. The Swedish net-minder recorded 37 saves, the third highest in his career, and posted a .973 save percentage after allowing just the first period goal.
Next weekend Alaska will host the Arizona State Sun Devils who are coming off of an impressive weekend sweep of #9/9 Quinnipiac in Tempe, Ariz.
Both games will be at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks, Alaska with 7:07 p.m. AKT starts.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks Hockey team page on Facebook.
