Kyle Gaffney and Matt Koethe celebrate the Nanooks' power-play goal
Sage Zipeto - Minnesota Athletics
2
Alas. Fairbanks AKF 4-7-3
5
Winner Minnesota MIN 13-2-1
Alas. Fairbanks AKF
4-7-3
2
Final
5
Minnesota MIN
13-2-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 F
Alas. Fairbanks AKF 1 1 0 2
Minnesota MIN 0 1 4 5

Game Recap: Men's Ice Hockey | | Nathan Kyle Pearsall, Sports Information Director

Nanooks Battle at Minnesota but Fall to Gophers

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Nanooks hockey team fell to the No. 3/4 Minnesota Gophers on Saturday, Nov. 30. With the loss, Alaska falls to 4-7-3.

How it Happened
Similar to game one, the Nanooks struck first in the opening 20 minutes. Tonight, Kyle Gaffney opened up the scoring 11:15 into the first from the slot. Matt Hubbarde tallied the primary assist while Luke LaMaster earned the secondary assist on Gaffney's goal. The 1-0 lead stood through the first intermission until the 9:34 mark of the second period. Oliver Moore tied the game at 1-1 on an unassisted goal. 

Nearly six minutes later, the Nanooks struck on the power play. Gaffney struck again, scoring from the left faceoff circle on a pass from Broten Sabo. Matt Koethe grabbed the secondary assist as Alaska made it 2-1 with 4:54 remaining in the second. They'd take the lead to the third, but a quick shorthanded goal for Minnesota tied it at 2-2 in the third and was the first of four unanswered goals.

The Gophers scored 38 seconds in, 5:19 in and 8:30 into the third making it 4-2 before adding an empty-net goal with less than a minute remaining for a final score of 5-2.

Inside the Numbers
  • Alaska went 1-3 on the power play tonight. Their lone shot-on-goal was Gaffney's goal in the second period. 
  • Their penalty kill went 3-3. Minnesota posted five shots-on-goal while on the man-advantage, but Alaska kept them off the board.
  • Tonight's two-point performance by Gaffney was his second of the season and first since Nov. 2 at Clarkson when he tallied an assist and goal. 
  • Nicholas Grabko ended the night with 30 saves. He made eight stops in both the first and second before stopping 14 shots in the third period. 
  • Alaska blocked 13 shots tonight. Luke LaMaster, Carson Reed, and Broten Sabo posted three each. 
  • Gaffney won nine faceoffs tonight to lead the Nanooks. 
What's to Come
The Nanooks return to Fairbanks and the Carlson Center next weekend as Augustana comes to town. 

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