ANCHORAGE ? UAA broke open a 2-2 deadlock with a pair of third-period goals to fend off 3rd-ranked North Dakota 4-2 and earn its first series sweep of the season tonight at the Sullivan Arena.
The Seawolves, who last swept North Dakota 11 years ago to the day at the Sully (Nov. 17-18, 1995), improved their overall season record to 6-4-2 and their WCHA mark to 4-4-0 with their fourth win over the Sioux in the team's last five meetings. With its sixth win of the season, UAA has already matched its entire win total from 2005-06.
North Dakota fell to 6-5-1 overall and 4-3-1 in the WCHA with the loss, dropping it to third in the league standings. The Seawolves (8 points) are now in a three-way tie for fourth in the WCHA with Colorado College and Michigan Tech.
For the sixth time this season UAA would score the game's first goal when senior winger Nick Lowe notched his first goal of the year at 8:06 of the second period, giving the ?Wolves a 1-0 advantage. Lowe used his speed to skate ahead of a couple of UND defenders before wristing a shot over Sioux goalie Anthony Grieco's shoulder.
North Dakota would score the game's next two goals on a pair of tallies from sophomore forward Ryan Duncan at 11:04 and 13:37, but the Seawolves would knot up the game on a Chad Anderson coast-to-coast goal at 15:43.
Anderson took the puck from the back of UAA's goal and weaved his way up the right side of the ice before stuffing the puck in at the right post for his third goal of the season. Seawolf goalie Nathan Lawson was credited with the assists on Anderson's tally.
UAA would grab the lead for good when senior Justin Bourne sunk a one-timer from the high slot at 5:04 of the third with the Seawolves skating on a two-man advantage, making the score 3-2.
Freshman Kevin Clark added an insurance goal for the Seawolves at the 7:34 mark of the period that found its way into the net after pinballing around a few sticks before bouncing off Clark's leg.
UND pulled its goalie in favor of an extra attacker the final 1:44 of regulation, but failed to score.
Lawson gave one of his best efforts of the season in goal for UAA by stopping 28 shots, including 13 in the final period, while earning his sixth win of the season.
Grieco took the loss in goal for UND, recording 27 saves.
The Seawolves, who outshot the Sioux 31-30, went 1-of-3 on the power play while UND went 1-of-5 with the man advantage.
For the second consecutive night Anderson posted two-points for UAA, picking up an assist on Bourne's game winner to go along with his own second-period goal. Also registering two points for the Seawolves was freshman Josh Lunden, who collected a pair of assists.
The two-game sweep for the Seawolves was its first in WCHA play since posting two wins at home over Minnesota Duluth on Nov. 5-6, 2004.
UAA will have an off week before returning to action Dec.1-2 for a two-game home series against Minnesota Duluth at the Sully.
