UNIVERSITY PARK, Penn. – The Nanooks hockey team made a late push but fell on the road at the #7/7 Penn State Nittany Lions on Tuesday, Nov. 22. The 3-2 loss drops the 'Nooks to 5-6-2 on the season. The two teams will square-off one more time tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. AKT.
The Nanooks fell behind early as Penn State opened the scoring 7:09 into the first period. After Chase McLane played the puck down near the corner of the Penn State attacking zone, Tyler Gratton caught up and threw a pass in front of the crease. A crashing Tyler Paquette found just enough of the puck, beating Nanooks' netminder,
Matt Radomsky, making it 1-0 PSU. Less than three minutes later Penn State struck again. This time it was Ryan Kirwan. Kirwan fielded a pass from Xander Lamppa and snapped the wrist shot past Radomsky from his right near the point making it 2-0 Penn State.
The 2-0 deficit stuck through the first intermission but grew to three 8:51 into the second when Christian Sarlo scored the eventual game-winner for the Nittany Lions. While shorthanded, the puck found its way up-ice and Sarlo had a breakaway resulting in a one-on-one with Radomsky. After pulling the puck through to his right, Radomsky lunged for the save but Sarlo tucked it back behind the 'Nooks goalie, making it 3-0. Nearly six minutes later
Harrison Israels got the Nanooks on the board.
Matt Koethe started the break for the Nanooks, bringing the puck into the neutral zone before finding
Jonny Sorenson. After, Sorenson brought the puck down into the corner before finding Israels behind the PSU net. After taking the pass, Israels turned the corner and tucked the shot into the back of the net, making it 3-1 and giving the 'Nooks a jolt of energy.
3-1 was the score going into the third before
Payton Matsui made it 3-2 6:23 into the period. Fresh off a penalty kill, the Nanooks offense continued their strong late-game attack. With 13:44 on the clock,
Matt Koethe played the puck to
T.J. Lloyd as he entered the attacking zone; the puck was initially knocked loose from his stick, but after regrouping near the faceoff circle to the right of Liam Souliere, the PSU netminder, he put a pass on the money to
Payton Matsui for the one-timer goal. The goal pulled the Nanooks within one at 3-2 but despite outshooting PSU 8-1 in the final 14:29, the Nittany Lions escaped the Nanooks' comeback and grabbed the 3-2 win.
Alaska ended the night with 27 shots-on-goal while Penn State posted 35.
Matt Radomsky ended the night with 32 saves, making 11 in both the first and third periods and 10 in the middle stanza.
The Nanooks and Nittany Lions meet one more time on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 1:00 p.m. AKT. The game can be watched with a subscription on Big Ten Plus or listened to for free on KSUA 91.5 FM or KSUAradio.com.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Instagram or Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks Hockey team page on Facebook.
