FAIRBANKS ? Senior assistant captain Justin Bourne's goal at 3:09 of overtime lifted Alaska Anchorage to a thrilling 6-5 come-from-behind overtime victory over rival Alaska Fairbanks tonight here at a packed Carlson Center.
UAA (2-0-1) fought back from 2-0, 4-3 and 5-4 deficits to claim its first win over UAF (2-1-0) in Fairbanks in three years (Oct. 10, 2003) and take the first game of the four-game Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup series.
Trailing 5-4 with 1:20 remaining in regulation, UAA head coach Dave Shyiak called a timeout and promptly pulled goalie Nathan Lawson in favor of an extra skater. The strategy worked as sophomore Jay Beagle was able to slide the puck past UAF goalie Wylie Rodgers with just 15 seconds remaining in regulation.
UAA, who outshot UAF 45-26 overall, held the puck in the Nanook zone for most of the overtime session before Bourne's game winner would silence the sellout crowd.
Both teams would tally three goals each in a fast paced third period, with UAA striking first with a goal from freshman Paul Crowder at 4:27, giving the Seawolves their first lead of the game at 3-2.
Crowder's goal was the third straight of the game by UAA, who also received second period scores from Beagle (2:16) and sophomore Adam Corrin (15:27) after falling behind 2-0 at the end of one period of play.
UAA's lead wouldn't last long as the Nanooks would capitalize on a power-play goal from Nathan Fornataro nearly a minute and a half after Crowder's tally, evening the game at 3-3. Freshman Dion Knelsen would put UAF up 4-3 just 58 seconds later with his second goal of the night.
The game would be deadlocked for the second time in the period and third time overall in the game on a Mark Smith blast from the right point, but UAF's Tyler Eckford would once again give the Nanooks a one-goal lead with a slapper from the left circle at 13:17.
The end-to-end action would continue in the period before Beagle would send the game to an extra frame with his second goal of the game.
UAF led 2-0 after one period on goals by Kyle Greentree and Knelson, despite UAA holding a 15-7 advantage in shots.
Lawson recorded 21 saves with the win, improving to 2-0-1 on the season. UAF's Wylie Rodgers stopped 39 shots in the loss, his first ever to UAA.
Nine Seawolves tallied points, led by Bourne who scored a career-best four points (1g, 3a). Beagle chipped in three points (2g, 1a) and Crowder (1g, 1a) and Chad Anderson (2a) recorded two each.
The Seawolves went 1-of-4 on the power play while the Nanooks were 2-of-6.
UAA outshot UAF in all four periods, including a 15-8 edge in the third and 4-2 advantage in the overtime.
The overtime win was the first for UAA since edging Minnesota Duluth 5-4 in extra time on Nov. 11, 2001.
The same two teams meet again for game 2 of the series Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
