BEMIDJI, Minn. – Despite leading after the first period, the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves were handed a 3-1 loss Saturday from the Bemidji State Beavers, who picked up the Western Collegiate Hockey Association sweep at the Sanford Center.
UAA (7-19-4), which is now struggling with an eight-game losing streak, continues to sit last in the WCHA standings with 10 points and a 4-18-2 league record, while BSU (10-10-4) is still tied for fourth in the standings with Northern Michigan.
Giving the Seawolves a 1-0 lead at 7:55 in the opening stanza was freshman Tad Kozun, who leads UAA freshmen with 11 points, with his fifth on the season. Junior Hayden Trupp fired from the blueline, hitting Kozun for the redirect, while Anchorage local, sophomore Connor Wright collected his first collegiate point with the second assist on the play.
The Seawolves managed to hold on to the lead until 14:02 of the second when BSU captain Matt Prapavessis went over the left shoulder of freshman netminder Olivier Mantha, who lost his sight line for a brief moment. Mitch Cain and Philip Brewer were credited with the helpers.
The teams entered the locker room knotted 1-1, but a late 2nd-period penalty and another called early in the third, gave the Beavers a 5-on-3 power-play advantage for 1:10. BSU's Gerry Fitzgerald made quick work and scored at 1:06 for the Beavers' first lead of the game.
With just over a minute to play, bench boss Matt Thomas pulled Mantha for the extra attacker, but the Beavers prevailed with the empty-net goal at 19:24.
With almost a full period on the penalty kill, the Seawolves only allowed one power-play goal, while keeping the Beavers scoreless on a 5-minute major on junior Austin Sevalrud halfway through the third period. UAA was tagged for 10 penalties to BSU's four.
BSU peppered UAA with 40 shots on net, while UAA landed 19. Mantha had 37 saves in the loss, including all 15 in the first period.
The Seawolves return to the Sullivan Arena for back-to-back home series. UAA will take on ranked Bowling Green (Feb. 27-28) before hosting Alaska Fairbanks (March 6-7). March 7 will double as 'Senior Night'.
