ANCHORAGE ? Freshman Paul Crowder scored two goals, including the game-tying tally with 32 seconds remaining in regulation, but No. 5/7 Wisconsin would strike for the game winner at 3:30 of overtime to upend Alaska Anchorage 3-2 tonight in Western Collegiate Hockey Association action at the Sullivan Arena.
The Seawolves, who have played in four overtime contests so far this season, fell to 2-3-2 overall and 0-3-0 in the WCHA with their third consecutive loss, while the defending national champion Badgers improved to 4-3-2 and 3-1-1 in league play. The win also extended Wisconsin's unbeaten streak against UAA to four games and its unbeaten streak in Anchorage to eight.
Trailing 2-1 with fewer than 40 seconds remaining in overtime UAA would pull goalie Nathan Lawson in favor of an extra attacker, and for the third time this season the Seawolves would respond with a goal in that situation when Crowder was able to slip a backhander from the top crease past UW goalie Brian Elliott (27 saves).
Wisconson controlled most of the play in the overtime period in UAA's zone before Matthew Ford would power a wrister off a faceoff into the net for the win. UW outshot the Seawolves 3-1 in the extra session.
A penalty by UAA freshman defenseman Nils Backstrom less than a minute into the game would lead to a power-play goal from Wisconsin's Michael Davies at the 1:53 mark of the first giving the Badgers a quick 1-0 advantage.
The score would remain unchanged until 14:32 of the second when Crowder would tally the first of his two goals for UAA knotting the score at 1-1. Crowder swooped around the Badger net and appeared to be trying to slide a pass across the crease to an open Jay Beagle but the puck would take a Seawolf bounce off a UW defenseman and skip over Elliott and into the net.
The Badgers would take back the lead just 1:17 into the third when Blake Geoffrion would place the puck over Lawson's shoulder putting UW out front 3-2.
UAA skated with a two-man advantage for a span of 1:11 in the third, but failed to convert.
The Seawolves, who were outshot 34-29, went 1-of-7 on the power play while Wisconsin went 1-of-5.
Lawson recorded 31 saves in a losing cause for UAA.
Seniors Justin Bourne and Chad Anderson picked up assists on UAA's first goal and sophomore Jay Beagle and freshman Josh Lunden scored assists on its second.
The Seawolves host Wisconsin Saturday at 7:07 p.m. in the concluding game of the series.
