DENVER, Colo. – Despite two in-game comebacks, the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves dropped a 3-2 Western Collegiate Hockey Association road game against the No. 4 Denver Pioneers at the Mile High City on Friday night.
The Seawolves (7-11-3, 6-9-2 WCHA) responded twice against the Pioneers (15-5-5, 11-3-3 WCHA) throughout the 60 minutes of play, but came up short in the final seconds, breaking a three-game unbeaten streak.
UAA remains at No. 8 in the WCHA standings with 14 points, while Denver takes over sole possession at the top with 25 points.
The Pioneers took a quick lead – just nine second into the opening stanza – when Anthony Maiani fired the puck in front of the net from the left boards and found Kyle Ostrow streaking to the net. Ostrow capitalized and earned the third-quickest goal in DU history.
Almost 10 minutes later, the Seawolves got on the scorecard following a textbook 3-on-1 rush. At 9:58, freshman Matt Bailey, senior Nick Haddad and sophomore Mitch Bruijsten entered the Pioneer zone and made two crisp passes that led to Bruijsten's third goal in four games.
With just five second remaining in the frame, the Seawolves lost their leading scorer for the rest of the game after senior forward Tommy Grant was tagged for checking from behind and received a 5-minute major and a game misconduct.
UAA was able to kill off the major penalty in the beginning of the second and kept the game knotted at 1-1 until Ostrow netted his second goal at 9:34. Following an extended break in the game due to an ear contusion on freshman Andrew Pickering; Ostrow fed Maiani a pass to the left of goaltender Rob Gunderson, who then fired on net. The puck went wide, hitting Ostrow in the shin and deflected in.
The Seawolves answered once again and made it a 2-2 game at 2:21 of the third when freshman Brett Cameron fired from the right boards to the back of the mesh.
UAA was again looking at a one-goal deficit when DU's Beau Bennett struck at 9:22 with the game-winning goal. DU maintained the lead throughout the remaining minutes and held off the Seawolves for 1:27 when UAA had the extra attached with Gunderson on the bench.
Gunderson (22 saves), who was solid between the pipes in his ninth straight start, picked up the loss and owns a 6-8-2 record. DU's Anthony Murray came away with the win with 21 stops.
After being outshot in the first, 10-5, UAA responded in the second with an 11-6 edge over DU. The Pioneers came back in the third, hitting Gunderson with 9 shots, compared to UAA's 7.
Both teams were scoreless on three man-advantage opportunities.
The Seawolves and Pioneers will square off thirty minutes earlier on Saturday. The puck is scheduled to drop at 5:07 p.m. AST at Magness Arena.
