MANKATO, Minn. ? Freshman Nils Backtroms's first-career goal sealed Alaska Anchorage's first WCHA road win as the Seawolves edged Minnesota State 3-2 here tonight at the Midwest Wireless Civic Center.
Freshman Paul Crowder and junior Merit Waldrop also score goals for UAA, who improved to 4-3-1 overall and 2-3-0 in league play with its second straight conference win. MSU, who has dropped five consecutive contests, fell to 2-7-0 overall and 1-4-0 in league action. The win, UAA's first in Mankato in nearly three years, also put an end to the Seawolves' eight-game winless skid to the Mavs.
Goalie Nathan Lawson earned his first win in eight tries against MSU, stopping 26 shots, including a game-high 12 in the opening period.
Crowder staked UAA to a 1-0 lead with his fourth goal of the year and third in four games at the 9:41 mark of the opening period. The Victoria, B.C., product skated up the left boards before letting loose a quick wrister from the left circle that surprised MSU goalie Dan Tormey (25 saves).
UAA had a great opportunity to extend its lead with a two-man power-play chance late in the period, but MSU would turn back the ?Wolves' two-man advantage and score a shorthanded goal at 17:32 of the period from Jon Kalinski.
The teams would skate to a scoreless second period.
The Seawolves would regain their one-goal edge when Waldrop found the back of the net for the first time this season at the 3:12 mark of the final period. Sophomore center Jay Beagle and freshman winger Kevin Clark were credited with assists on the score.
UAA would hold the upper hand for the next 13 minutes until Jerad Stewart would tie the game with the games' lone power-play tally at 16:14. The Seawolves wouldn't take long to answer however, as Backtrom would nail the game winner with a wrister from the high slot just 31 seconds later at 16:45.
Senior Nick Lowe picked up his first point since his sophomore season with an assist and senior Chad Anderson recorded his fifth assist of the year on Backtrom's score.
For just the third time this season UAA went scoreless on the power play at 0-of-6, while MSU went 1-of-7. Each team fired 28 shots on net.
The Seawolves will attempt to earn their first ever sweep of the Mavs at Mankato in the final game of the two-game tilt Saturday at 4:07 p.m.
