Cade Ahrenholz possesses the puck against UConn in the 2024 Kwik Trip HFO
Ricky Bassman
1
Alas. Fairbanks UAF 5-9-3
4
Winner UConn CON 8-7-1
Alas. Fairbanks UAF
5-9-3
1
Final
4
UConn CON
8-7-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 F
Alas. Fairbanks UAF 0 1 0 1
UConn CON 2 1 1 4

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

Nanooks Fall to Huskies in Game One at Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Alaska Nanooks hockey team fell to the UConn Huskies on Saturday afternoon in the Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee. The matchup opened up the 2024 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off. 

With the loss, the Nanooks fall to 5-9-3 on the year and will play for third place tomorrow against Wisconsin or Ferris State. 

How it Happened
UConn struck first before posting two more goals for a 3-0 lead in the second. The Nanooks grabbed one back but the Huskies struck for one more in the third to take the 4-1 win. Ethan Whitcomb opened the scoring with a power-play goal 7:29 into the opening period. 12 minutes later they made it 2-0 as Jake Richard scored with only 14.6 seconds left in the first period. 

UConn held a 2-0 lead after the first period. They opened up the second on the power play and only 49 seconds into the second stanza they tallied the third goal of the night, making it 3-0.

Chase Dafoe got the Nanooks on the board 9:24 into the second to cut the deficit to 3-1. Haden Kruse played the puck behind the Huskies' net and found Dafoe out front. The alternate captain found the back of the net for his fourth goal of the season and gave the Nanooks a jolt of momentum, but unfortunately, they could not use it to capitalize on another goal. UConn would add on one more in the third period as Jake Percival scored 7:49 into the final period making it 4-1 Huskies. 

Inside the Numbers
  • The Nanooks went 0-5 on the power play. They managed seven shots on goal while up a man. The penalty kill went 2-4 as UConn scored a pair of power-play goals this afternoon.
  • Nicholas Grabko made 27 saves today, stopping nine shots in every period. 
  • Chase Dafoe and William Lawson-Body won seven faceoffs each to lead the Nanooks. As a team, Alaska won 25 of 57 faceoffs. 
  • Haden Kruse's assist gives him four points on the year (2-2--4). Caelum Dick picked up point number three this year (1-2--3). 
  • Dafoe's fourth goal of the season gives him six points (4-2--6). He now has 20 career points (11-9--20). 
  • Alaska posted a 10-9 advantage in blocked shots. Carson Reed blocked a game-high three shots. 
What's to Come
The Nanooks will play the loser of the Wisconsin/Ferris State matchup. 

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