DULUTH, Minn.? Two goals by junior Kevin Clark and huge saves by junior Jon Olthuis gave the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves their first Western Collegiate Hockey Association series sweep of the season with a 4-3 victory over the No. 16 Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs on Saturday night at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center.
In front of 5,114 spectators, UAA (14-15-5, 9-14-5 WCHA) posted its first road sweep since Nov. 10-11, 2000 at Wisconsin (5-3, 3-2) and just its seventh win at the DECC, to end the season undefeated against Minnesota-Duluth (3-0-1).
With the triumph, the Seawolves improve their winning-streak to four games?a feat that hasn't been accomplished in over a decade. The last time UAA won four or more straight games was during the 1998-99 season under past head coach Dean Talafous (12/4-1/8).
In his first start in nine games, Olthuis came away with a career-high and UAA season-high 46 saves en route to the victory. Olthuis faced a season-high 19 shots in the second period and a season-high-tying 18 shots in the third period by UMD.
The Bulldogs (16-12-8, 10-11-7 WCHA) scored the first goal of the night in the second, before UAA retaliated with three goals?two by Clark and one by senior Shane Lovdahl. In the final frame of play, the Seawolves added a tally by sophomore Nick Haddad, sandwiched between two UMD goals for the final, 4-3 score.
After finishing the first with both teams scoreless, Justin Fontaine put the Bulldogs on the board at 4:55 of the period, with junior Nils Backstrom in the box for interference. Olthuis had made 13 saves since the beginning of the frame before allowing UMD to strike on the power play.
UAA came back with a season-high-tying three goals in the second period to put the Seawolves up, 3-1. Much like Friday night, UAA came from behind to take the lead going into the third period.
In his third multi-point game this season against UMD, Clark put the Seawolves on the board with his first tally at 8:03 of the second. On UAA's 14th shot on net, Clark was able to slip one by UMD's netminder Alex Stalock to tie the game, 1-1. Junior Paul Crowder and sophomore Tommy Grant were credited with the helpers.
Alaska Anchorage took the lead for good on a goal by Lovdahl at 15:19? his first goal of the season. On a pass from junior Jared Tuton, Lovdahl sent the puck into the mesh for his eighth career goal.
With 2:19 left on the clock, Stalock went behind his own net to clear the puck, but it never reached him. The puck hit a seam in the boards and bounced out in front of the net into the hands of Clark. Clark added his second goal of the evening and 11th of the season on the empty net for the 3-1 score going into the second intermission. Defensemen senior Mat Robinson and junior Trevor Hunt assisted on the power play goal.
Junior Ken Selby was whistled for tripping at sixth minute of play, giving UMD a power play opportunity. The Bulldogs took advantage of it and pulled within one goal with MacGregor Sharp's 19th goal of the season at 7:12.
Haddad scored the game-winning goal on the empty net with 30 second left in the game on a pass from Robinson to once again give UAA a two-goal lead. Unfortunately, the two-goal lead was short-lived as UMD's Matt Greer found the back of the net 18 seconds later for the final, 4-3 score.
Olthuis improved to 6-8-1 on the season, while Stalock received the loss for a 15-12-8 record after stopping 27 shots on net.
The Seawolves were 1-for-3 on the power play and the Bulldogs were 2-for-6. UMD out shot UAA, 49-31 and was tagged for nine penalties to UAA's 11. In a very physical game, eight roughing calls were made and three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
In head coach Dave Shyiak's best season at helm for UAA, the Seawolves ended their regular season with 23 points in the WCHA standings for ninth place. Minnesota-Duluth fell to seventh with 27 points.
The Seawolves will return to action on March 13-14 when they face the Denver Pioneers in the first round of the WCHA playoffs. If the Seawolves split the games with the Pioneers, a third deciding game on March 15 will determine who goes to the WCHA Final Five on March 19-21.
