ANCHORAGE – Freshmen Tad Kozun and Olivier Mantha came up with huge performances Saturday to lead host Alaska Anchorage to a 4-2 victory over 10th-ranked Wisconsin in the Kendall Hockey Classic at Sullivan Arena.
The Seawolves (2-0-0) also got goals from junior forward Hayden Trupp and senior forward Scott Allen to remain unbeaten in the last five Kendall Classics, improving to 7-0-3 in their own tournament since 2010. Despite the victory, UAA saw rival Alaska Fairbanks capture the championship gold pan thanks to a 3-2 advantage in goals allowed – the final tiebreaker.
The Badgers (0-2-0) earned a 29-25 edge in shots on goal, but the visitors from the Big Ten Conference had trouble with Mantha, who made several diving saves among his 27 stops. Mantha, a 6-1, 182-pound rookie from La Tuque, Quebec, was making his first collegiate start.
UAA opened the scoring with six minutes left in the first when Kozun poked home the rebound from Chase Van Allen's shot.
After Wisconsin evened things early in the second on Matt Ustaski's first goal of the season, Kozun gave UAA the lead for good, converting another rebound chance past UW goalie Joel Rumpel. Van Allen picked up his third assist of the young season and Dylan Hubbs was credited for a helper on the play.
Midway through the second, Trupp extended the lead when he skated into the zone and fired a shot that went directly into Rumpel's glove. However, the 2013-14 Hobey Baker finalist lost control and the puck trickled up and over his shoulder for the goal.
Badgers freshman defenseman Tim Davison made it 3-2 late in the second with his first career goal, however UAA regained its two-goal cushion early in the final stanza. Senior captain Brett Cameron skated the puck into the zone and was stripped as he neared the crease. Luckily for the Seawolves, the puck bounced right at the feet of Allen, who did a 180-degree spin and fired it under Rumpel's pads.
Neither team was successful on the power play as UAA killed all five Badgers chances, including a 5-minute major midway through the third. The Seawolves were 0-for-3 with the man advantage.
The Seawolves continue non-conference play next week with neutral-ice games against Penn State (Fri., Oct. 17, 5:07 p.m.) and Air Force (Sat., Oct. 18, 4:07 p.m.) at the Brice Alaska Goal Rush in Fairbanks.
KENDALL HOCKEY CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Scott Allen, UAA
Landon Peterson, Wisconsin
Colton Parayko, UAF
Chase Van Allen, UAA
Josh Atkinson, UAF
Tad Kozun, UAA
Most Outstanding Player: Davis Jones
