FAIRBANKS – Junior Blake Tatchell scored the game-winning strike in extra minutes as the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves dispatched the Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks, 3-2, Saturday at the Carlson Center to take a 2-0 lead in the Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup race.
The game, which doubled as a Western Collegiate Hockey Association tilt, moved the Seawolves (7-11-4, 4-10-2 WCHA) into a tie with Lake Superior State at No. 9 with 10 points, as the bottom three squads all furnished conference sweeps to tighten the league. Only six points separate fourth from 10th in the WCHA, with fourth getting to host the playoffs' first round.
UAA also won, 2-1 on Friday for its first league sweep of the season.
The night started with the Seawolves getting on board with a 2-on-1 goal from freshman Austin Azurdia. The right-winger picked up his third on the season with a cross-ice pass from center Matt Anholt to beat netminder Sean Cahill, top-shelf at 12:17 of the first.
The teams entered the first intermission with UAA on top, 1-0 before UAF's Brandon Morley knotted the game at 6:48 of the second frame. The tie wouldn't hold as sophomore Dylan Hubbs returned the lead to the Seawolves at 9:41 with an unassisted goal.
Meanwhile, UAA received two game misconducts in the second stanza with senior co-captain Scott Allen (checking from behind) and freshman Tad Kozun (contact to the head) receiving the gate. The Seawolves were able to kill off both five-minute infractions and all six of UAF's power-play opportunities in the game.
UAA's 2-1 lead held until Shawn Hochhausen netted the extra-attacker goal with 1:16 left in regulation to send the game into overtime. Tatchell then found the game winner at 3:07 of the fourth period, giving the Seawolves their first overtime win of the season and a four-game winning streak against their in-state rivals.
The Seawolves received another stellar night in goal from freshman Olivier Mantha (6-7-3), who delivered a career-high-tying 46 saves in net. UAA was severely outshot by UAF, 48-16.
The Seawolves and Nanooks will face off again, March 6-7 in Anchorage to determine the Cup champion.
