GRAND FORKS, N.D.? Three Seawolves scored their first goals of the season Friday night to lead Alaska Anchorage (6-3-2, 3-2-2 WCHA) to a 3-2 win over the No. 18 North Dakota Fighting Sioux (3-6-0, 3-4-0 WCHA) at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association game.
The Seawolves led 3-0 going into the third period before the Sioux scored on a power play to make it 3-1. UND pulled its goaltender for a an extra attacker and was able to close the gap to 3-2. UAA held on in the remaining minutes to secure the league win and move into a a three-way tie for fourth place in WCHA standings.
Junior defenseman Nils Backstrom scored his first goal of the season just 67 seconds into the game to put the Seawolves up 1-0 in the first period. Backstrom one-timed the pass and sent it into the net over goaltender Aaron Walski. Trevor Hunt and Nick Haddad were credited with the assists, giving them two assists apiece on the season.
Following suit, freshman defenseman Curtis Leinweber scored his first career goal with 13:02 left on the clock in the second period. Leinweber received a pass from Luka Vidmar, made a shooting lane and sent a wrist shot from just inside the blue line, into the back of the net.
Sophomore forward Sean Wiles scored the third goal of the game with 6:59 to go in the second. Wiles drove to the front of the net where he received the puck from junior Paul Crowder and sent it top shelf over Walski. The Fighting Sioux pulled Walski and replaced him with Brad Eidsness following the goal.
UND had a chance to get on the board when Jade Portwood was whistled for checking from behind and given a 5-minute major penalty with 3:17 into the third. The Fighting Sioux were unable to capitalize on the man advantage, however, even allowing a breakaway attempt by Crowder.
With 2:01 left in the game and Hunt in the box for charging, UND's Ryan Duncan ended the shutout with his fourth goal of the season and his second power-play goal.
The Sioux then pulled Eidsness for the extra attacker on the ice. UAA was unable to score on the open net and UND's Brett Hextall fought back to score a goal with 43 seconds remaining.
UAA's goalie Jon Olthuis was strong in net to give the Seawolves the victory and their first win over the Sioux since November 18, 2006. Olthuis was credited with 19 saves in improving his season mark to 3-3-0
UND outshot UAA, 21-18 and went 1 of 7 on power plays, while UAA was 0 of 4 with the man-advantage.
With the victory, the Seawolves equaled their WCHA win total of a year ago just seven games into the 2008-09 schedule. They are also just one triumph shy of tying their overall win total from 2007-08.
The Seawolves and Sioux return to the ice Saturday at 4:07 p.m. (AST) for the second game of the series.
