ANCHORAGE - The Nanooks hockey team officially clinched its 15th-straight Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup on Saturday, defeating the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves 6-2 to secure the cup with two games left in the season series.
How it Happened
Chase Dafoe got the scoring started 3:55 into the first period when he tipped in an effort from Adam Cardona to give the 'Nooks the early lead. Cardona and Braden Birnie were credited with assists. Birnie would get himself a goal just over four minutes later as he netted Alaska's second on the power play. Rylen Roersma picked up the primary assist after he fired the puck towards the UAA goal, and Birnie was able to redirect it past the Seawolves netminder. Hugo Marcil grabbed the secondary. That would be all the scoring in the first period, and the Nanooks held a 2-0 lead through one.
The Seawolves would strike back 1:41 into the second on a Tanyon Bajzer goal, with assists from Camden Shasby and Adam Parsons. They scored again at the 5:18 mark when Dimitry Kebreau found the net, tying the game at two. Karter McNarland and Ryan Johnson were credited with assists on the equalizer. That would be how the second period ended, and the Nanooks entered the final 20 minutes of regulation in a 2-2 deadlock with Alaska Anchorage.
Dafoe would once again put Alaska in front early in the third, scoring 2:11 into the period. He once again got a tip on the puck after Hugo Marcil fired it in towards the goal, scoring his second goal of the contest. Marcil and Birnie collected helpers on the go-ahead goal. Alaska added another 1:30 later when Alexander Malinowski circled behind the Seawolves net and wrapped around the other side, firing a shot past the UAA goalie to double Alaska's lead. Dean Spak tallied the lone assist on the goal. The Nanooks maintained the two-goal advantage until Davis Borizinskis scored an empty-netter at the 17:34 mark, collecting a long-range shot from Alaska's defensive zone and slotting it home. The Nanooks grabbed a sixth at the 19:38 mark when Caelum Dick intercepted a Seawolf pass, firing a shot that was put in on the rebound by Malinowski for his second goal of the game, sealing the win for the Nanooks.
Inside the Numbers
- Alaska posted 28 shots in the victory, while Alaska Anchorage managed just 14. Lassi Lehti made 12 saves on the evening.
- Rylen Roersma won a team-high 10 of 16 face-offs during the game. Dean Spak tallied seven face-off wins, winning seven of 15.
- The Nanooks had nine players tally a point, with Braden Birnie posting a team-best three on a goal and two assists.
- This was Alexander Malinowski's first multi-goal game of the season, as he now has eight goals on the season.
- Dafoe's two goals give him 11 on the season.
- As a team, the Nanooks won 29 of 56 face-offs. UAA won 27.
- Alaska ended the game 1-2 on the power play and 3-3 on the penalty kill.
What's Next
The Nanooks will welcome the Seawolves to the Carlson Center for the final two games of the regular season. They face off against UAA on Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28, with both games set for a 7:07 p.m. puck drop.
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