ANCHORAGE - Minnesota State's Mike Louwerse
scored two goals including the game winner at 9:42 of the third period to lift
the Mavericks to a 3-2 win over Alaska Anchorage in a WCHA encounter Friday
night at the Sullivan Arena.
MSU improved to 11-19-1 overall and
7-15-1 in WCHA play while the Seawolves are now 7-18-2 overall and 4-18-1 in
WCHA action.
UAA's Scott Warner scored a power-play
goal at 5:36 of the third on a rocket from the point to tie things at 2-2.
Austin Coldwell and Mitch Bruijsten were credited with assists on the tally.
But Louwerse got the game-winner just
four minutes later. UAA goalie Rob Gunderson made the initial save, but
a clearing pass of the rebound by a UAA defender ricocheted back into the net and Louwerse got credit for the goal.
The Seawolves were able to carry the play
for much of the rest of the way, but were unable to get the equalizer. The end result was a bitter pill to swallow
for UAA, which outshot MSU, 24-17, and won the battle of special teams by
killing all five Maverick power plays while going 2-for-3 on their own
man-advantage situations.
The loss broke a five-game UAA unbeaten
streak against the Mavericks dating back to last season.
On the heels of back-to-back first
period penalty kills by the Seawolves, UAA's Matt Bailey scored on a Seawolf
power play with just 24 seconds remaining in the first. His shot from the right
point beat a screened MSU goaltender Phil Cook high to the glove side. Coldwell
and Warner were credited with assists.
The Mavericks struck twice in second
period to stake a 2-1 lead. A turnover
at center ice put MSU's Louwerse and Jean-Paul Lafont into the UAA zone on
a two-on-none. Louwerse scored the goal at 8:56 of the period. Just 2:40 later,
a knuckleball shot from MSU's Johnny McInnis out in front caromed in off a UAA
defenseman for a goal at 11:36 of the second.
UAA's Gunderson finished with 14 saves
while MSU's Cook had 22 in victory.
The two teams will meet Saturday night
at 7:07 AST in the series ender.
