ANCHORAGE - A deflection off the stick of Tony Lucia at the 15:27 mark of the second period marked the difference in a tightly contested tilt tonight at the Sullivan Arena as No. 3 Minnesota outlasted Alaska Anchorage 2-1 to earn the series sweep.

The Seawolves dropped to 11-14-3 overall and 7-14-1 in the WCHA with their third consecutive loss, while the league-leading Gophers improved to 23-5-3 overall and 15-4-3 in conference play.

Junior Blair Tassone, who tallied a goal in Friday's loss, provided UAA's lone score of the night with a shorthanded one-timer from the slot at 2:21 of the second period, tying the game at 1-1. Freshman center Paul Crowder skated the puck up the left side boards before slipping a perfect pass to a charging Tassone who beat Gopher goalie Jeff Frazee stick side.

Freshman goalie Jon Olthuis stopped 22 of 24 shots in his sixth start of the season, including 10 in the opening frame.

The Seawolves, who owned a 26-24 advantage in shots on goal, went scoreless on the power play at 0 for 3. The Gophers were 1 of 6 with the man advantage, including going 1 for 3 in the opening period.

UAA won the faceoff battle 27-17, with sophomore Adam Corrin winning seven of eight draws.

Freshman Erik Johnson, the first pick in the 2006 NHL entry draft, scored Minnesota's initial goal with a power-play blast from the lower left circle at 11:23 of the first.

The Seawolves return to WCHA action next weekend with a two-game series at defending national champion Wisconsin.