FAIRBANKS - The Nanooks hockey team fell to Penn State in their 2024-25 regular-season opener at the Big Dipper Arena. In front of a sellout crowd of 2242, the Nanooks made a strong comeback in the third period but fell to the Nittany Lions in OT to fall to 0-1-0.

Penn State struck first in the opening period as Danny Dzhaniyev tallied the first goal of the night. Braedon Ford found the back of the net four and a half minutes later while shorthanded to extend the Penn State lead to 2-0. Just under two minutes later, the Nanooks struck, cutting the deficit in half. The newly minted captain, Braden Birnie, capitalized for the Nanooks' first goal of the season, finding the back of the net after a Brendan Ross feed. 

The 2-1 score stood through the first intermission. 

Midway through the second, JJ Wiebusch scored the only goal of the second period. His tally made it 3-1 Nittany Lions heading into the third. 

2:07 into the final stanza, Matt Hubbarde scored his first goal with the Alaska Nanooks. Anton Rubtsov and Peyton Platter picked up the assists on Hubbarde's goal. 53 seconds later, Luke Johnson also scored his first goal with the Blue and Gold. Matt Koethe and Caelum Dick picked up their first points of the season on the assists. The Dipper erupted into a frenzy after Johnson's game-tying goal and Alaska and Penn State skated for a scoreless 17 minutes in the third, leading to extra hockey in the overtime period. 

Despite three looks at goal, the Nanooks could not capitalize; it was Penn State who found the back of the net for the game-winner as Simon Mack netted the game-winning goal. 

Nicholas Grabko made his debut for the Nanooks in net and made 21 saves.

Alaska and Penn State play tomorrow night at 5:07 p.m. AKST. 

Follow the 'Nooks
IG - @NanooksHockey
X - @NanooksHockey
FB - Alaska Nanooks Hockey