BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Alaska Nanooks hockey team ended 2019 with a much-need three points and a victory against the Beavers on Saturday, Dec. 7. With the win, the 'Nooks head into Christmas break with a 10-10-0, 8-6-0-0 WCHA.

Alaska got the scoring started midway through the first period. Justin Young grabbed the opening goal after Steven Jandric entered the offensive zone with the puck. Jandric snuck past the defender on the wall and fired a pass across the slot to a cutting Young who tipped the puck in on the backdoor. The early lead gave Young his sixth goal of the season and Jandric his fourth assist of the season. Max Newton grabbed the secondary assist after getting the puck to Jandric to start the break.

The Beavers responded quickly, however, as Tyler Kirkup capitalized on a loose puck. Gustavs Grigals tried to play the puck behind the Nanooks net but sent it off an Alaska skate. The puck ricocheted out in front of the net and Kirkup found the back of the net as Grigals was still out of position. The 1-1 tie stayed into the first intermission.

Fresh out of the locker room, the Beavers grabbed the lead. While on the power play, Aaron Miller took a pass from Tyler Vold and went top shoulder on Grigals on a tough-angle shot, finding just enough day-light to sneak it past the net-minder. The 1-2 lead was the last lead Bemidji State would hold. Just under four minutes later the Nanooks responded. Steven Jandric found himself in the corner of the offensive zone with the puck; he found Colton Leiter in the high slot and Leiter took care of the rest. Leiter went top-shelf with the quick shot and tied things up at 2-2 and grabbing his second goal of the season. At nearly the same time into the third period, Leiter struck again.

Just over 13 minutes into the third period, James LaDouce sent the puck behind the net to Justin Young; after Young went for the wrap-around on Zach Driscoll, the Bemidji goalie, the puck got loose in front of the net and Leiter cleaned up, rebounding the puck on the backside for his second goal of the night giving Alaska a 3-2 lead. Three minutes later, Steven Jandric found the back of the net. His brother, Chris sent the puck up to Max Newton who entered the zone with the puck and found Jandric in for a quick one-timer. Jandric's goal came during a five-minute major and ended the Beavers streak of 34-consecutive penalty kills.

Six minutes passed with no action until Aaron Miller intercepted a Nanooks pass and entered the attacking-zone. After brushing off the defender, Miller snuck a shot past Grigals with just over two minutes remaining in the game, making it a 4-3 Alaska lead. With 1:05 left in regulation, the Beavers emptied their net. Justin Young then put the game away; after taking a pass from Roberts Kalkis, Young took the shot from the neutral zone and grabbed his second goal of the game, giving the Nanooks the 5-3 win.

The Nanooks end 2019 and the first half of the season with a 10-10-0, 8-6-0-0 WCHA record and will open up 2020 on the road in Mankato, Minn. taking on Minnesota State on Jan. 3-4.

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