MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Alaska Nanooks hockey team wrapped up the 2024 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off with a big win over the Ferris State Bulldogs.
With the win, the Nanooks improved to 6-9-3 and took third place in the HFO.
How it Happened
The Nanooks jumped out with two early goals before making it a three-goal advantage in the second. Ferris State would jump on the board early in the third before Alaska put the game out of reach on an empty-netter late in the third.
Matt Hubbarde tallied the opening goal only 4:48 into the first period. He took a pass from
Brendan Ross on a backdoor slash and put the shot home.
Broten Sabo earned the secondary assist on the goal. Hubbarde's goal came on the power play. Five minutes later,
Matt Koethe tallied an even-strength goal after winning puck possession at center ice. The winger brought the puck into the attacking zone and tucked home the shot giving Alaska a 2-0 advantage 10:18 into the opening 20 minutes. The 2-0 lead stood until 9:04 into the second period.
Chase Dafoe found the back of the net for the second-straight night, this time shorthanded.
Kyle Gaffney started the play along the wall at center ice. After winning the puck, Dafoe picked it up on the attack and beat Ferris State netminder, Noah West, from the slot.
2:56 into the third period Ferris State got on the board. Logan Heroux capitalized on the power play, cutting Alaska's lead to 3-1, but that was all the Bulldogs found offensively. 15 minutes later
Matt Rickard put the game away with an empty-netter 17:07 into the final stanza. The defenseman found the back of the net from the opposite side of the ice to make it a 4-1 final.
Inside the Numbers
- Lassi Lehti had another strong return to the net as the junior posted 26 saves on 27 shots en route to his second win this season.
- Lehti needed only four saves in the first before 12 in the second and 10 in the third.
- The Nanooks put a season-high 36 shots on goal in their 4-1 win over Ferris State. The four-goal performance is the second-most scoring they've had this season.
- Dafoe's shorthanded goal was the first SHG of the season for Alaska and the first since Jonny Sorenson's last season. He added an assist on Matt Koethe's goal, giving him his first multi-point performance of the season.
- The Nanooks scored an even-strength goal, power-play goal, shorthanded goal, and empty-net goal today.
- Koethe's goal was his fourth of the year and his first game-winning goal of the season.
- Kyle Gaffney now leads the Nanooks with 11 points on the year. He picked up an assist on Dafoe's shorthanded goal and Rickard's empty-netter.
- This is the Nanooks' second-straight win over Ferris State in a third-place game. They defeated the Bulldogs last season in the 2023 Great Lakes Invitational.
What's to Come
The Nanooks will head to Minnesota-Duluth for a matchup with the UMD Bulldogs on Jan. 3-4, 2025 at Amsoil Arena. Alaska and UMD last met on Nov. 26-27, 2021 in Duluth, Minn. The Bulldogs swept Alaska 1-5, 0-1 OT.
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