ANCHORAGE – Despite a two-goal game from sophomore Brad Duwe, the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves fell to No.11-ranked Bowling Green, 4-3 in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association game at the Sullivan Arena on Friday evening.
After being down 2-0, the Seawolves (7-20-4, 4-19-2 WCHA) forged a 2-2 tie early in the third period, but were unable to find the lead as they traded power-play goals with the Falcons (19-9-5, 15-7-3 WCHA), before BGSU netted the game-winning strike at 12:38.
Individually, Duwe – who furnished two-game-winning goals in the WCHA First Round against Alaska Fairbanks last season – is back to late season heroics with his first career multi-goal game, including his first power-play tally. Additionally, Duwe's two points this evening pushed him over his rookie point total of eight.
A local of Soldotna, Duwe's first strike came off of freshman Matt Anholt's faceoff, just 35 seconds into the final stanza. The goal knotted the game 2-2, giving the Seawolves momentum and excitement in the stands.
Following a power-play goal by Adam Berkle at 6:06, Duwe capitalized on a 5-on-3 power play when he collected the puck outside the crease and kicked it to his stick, tying the game 3-3. Freshman Tad Kozun and senior Austin Coldwell were credited with the helpers.
Unfortunately, the winning-goal came courtesy of a Falcon in Brandon Hawkins, handing UAA its ninth straight loss.
The night started when Brett D'Andrea beat freshman goaltender Olivier Mantha off the rush with a wrister down the slot at 6:37 of the first, before Mitchell McLain made it 2-0 at 2:53 of the second with another strike off the rush.
Cutting the lead in half with his first collegiate shorthanded goal was junior forward Blake Tatchell. UAA's current point leader with 21, Tatchell intercepted a pass for a one-on-one opportunity with netminder Tommy Burke. The North Battleford, Sask., native won the clash with a top-shelf, blocker side shot.
At the end of 60 minutes, the Seawolves were outshot, 32-21. Mantha made 28 saves in the loss, while Burke made 18 stops.
Additionally, UAA was without senior co-captain Scott Allen, who suffered an upper-body injury on Feb. 21 at Bemidji State.
The Seawolves and Falcons will reunite tomorrow night at 7:07 p.m. AST.
