ANCHORAGE - The UAA hockey team's hopes for a series sweep over visiting Michigan Tech were thwarted tonight at the Sullivan Arena as the Huskies skated past the Seawolves 4-1 to earn a weekend split.
Freshman Josh Lunden scored his second goal of the series at 14:50 of the first period tying the game at 1-1, but MTU would score three more times to seal the win and claim the season series (3-1-0).
Sophomore defenseman Mat Robinson collected his second assist in two nights on UAA's lone goal, while sophomore Jay Beagle earned his eighth helper with the second assist.
Junior netminder Nathan Lawson registered 25 saves, including 14 in the second frame. MTU's Michael-Lee Teslak also recorded 25 stops while earning his fifth win of the season.
The Huskies went ahead 1-0 and Tyler Shelast's eighth goal of the year at 14:16 of the first, but would hold the lead for only 34 seconds before Lunden's ninth tally of the season would bring the Seawolves even.
Peter Rouleau gave Tech a 2-1 advantage with a score from the left post for the only score of the second frame at the 12:03 mark.
MTU would score on a 5-on-3 power play for the second straight game when Geoff Kinrade wristed in a shot from the slot at 1:59 of the third, extending Tech's lead to 3-1.
UAA pulled Lawson for an extra attacker with just over one minute remaining in regulation but the Huskies would end any chance of a comeback with a clinching empty-net goal by Jimmy Kerr.
The 'Wolves went scoreless in five opportunities on the power play, including going 0-for-2 with the man advantage in the final period. The Huskies, who outshot UAA 29-26, went 1-for-4 on the power play.
The Seawolves dropped to 11-12-3 overall and 7-12-1 in the WCHA with the loss, but remain tied with Wisconsin for sixth in the league standings with 15 points. Michigan Tech jumped to eighth in the conference standings with the win (14 points), while improving its season mark to 11-13-2 and its WCHA record to 6-10-2.
UAA is idle next weekend before resuming its current homestand Feb. 2-3 against top ranked Minnesota.
