MARQUETTE, Mich. – Despite three comebacks, the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves dropped a 5-3 Western Collegiate Hockey Association game to host Northern Michigan at the Berry Events Center on Friday evening.

Throughout the game, the Seawolves (7-12-4, 4-11-2 WCHA) came back three times to knot the game, but couldn't do so in the final frame, allowing two unanswered goals in the loss. The Wildcats (10-9-6, 7-8-4 WCHA) collected the win, keeping UAA last in the conference following its bye weekend.

The scoring frenzy started with just 23 seconds expired on the clock when Northern Michigan took a 1-0 lead in the opening frame and held it until freshman Austin Azurdia furnished his fourth career goal at 13:16, sending the teams into the locker room tied 1-1. The helper on the goal went to classmate Tad Kozun.

Once again in the second period, the Wildcats struck first at 4:35 (Gerald Hanson), before sophomore forward Brad Duwe (Soldotna) registered an unassisted strike at 14:11 to tie the game again in this Ping-Pong game.

A power-play tally by Shane Sooth put NMU back on top in the third at 1:04, but again, that didn't' last long as senior defenseman Austin Coldwell received a beautiful feed from junior Blake Tatchell for the equalizer at 2:21. Azurdia got the second helper for his first career multi-point game.

The Wildcats then extended their lead to one at 8:29 (Brock Maschmeyer) and to two at 14:37 (Sami Salminen) for the 5-3 final.

UAA was 0-for-6 on the man advantage, while NMU picked up two man advantage helpers. The Seawolves outshot the Wildcats, 28-24, with freshman netminder Olivier Mantha making 19 saves in the loss.

The teams will unite tomorrow at 3:07 p.m. AST.