ST. CLOUD, Minn. - The Alaska Nanooks hockey team picked up a big win on the road at #20/18 St. Cloud State on Saturday, Oct. 21. The 5-2 victory moved the Nanooks to 2-3-1 on the season. 

The two sides skated to a scoreless 0-0 tie after the opening 20 minutes. The 'Nooks posted 11 shots-on-goal in the opening period while SCSU posted 12; Alaska netminder Pierce Charleson stopped all shots he saw. Both sides went 2/2 on the penalty kill in the first as well. 5:22 into the second period, Veeti Miettinen scored to make it 1-0 St. Cloud State. Nearly seven minutes later Harrison Israels snapped a quick wristshot from near the faceoff circle to tie the game at 1-1 12:04 into the middle stanza. T.J. Lloyd and Anton Rubtsov grabbed the apples on the first goal for the blue and gold. Moments later, on the power play, the Nanooks and Israels struck again. This time it came just outside of the crease. Arvils Bergmanis snapped a quick pass to Anton Rubtsov on the goalies left, after a saved shot, Israels was there to clean-up, putting the loose puck into the back of the net for his sixth goal of the season and second of the game for a 2-1 lead. 

The 2-1 lead stood through until the third period when Kyler Kupka found the back of the net 11:38 into the final period. That tie stood for only 1:09. Brady Risk fired the game-winner 12:47 into the third after a nifty dump-off pass from Payton Matsui. Caleb MacDonald earned the secondary assist, picking up his first-career point. The Nanooks were not done there; Arvils Bergmanis collected the fourth goal of the night 2:10 later on a one-timer from the point after taking a pass from Risk. T.J. Lloyd picked up his second assist of the night and Risk picked up his second point, adding to his earlier goal. He'd gather his third point on his second goal, tallying an empty-netter 16:53 into the third to make it 5-2. Jonny Sorenson picked up an assist on the empty-netter. 

Pierce Charleson stopped 37 of 39 SOG for a save percentage of .948 and won his second game in the blue and gold. The Nanooks ended the night 2/5 on the power play and killed off 7/8 penalties. 

Alaska returns home for their next games on Nov. 3-4 against Alaska Anchorage at the Carlson Center. That weekend will kickstart the first leg of the Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup. 

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