Huskies Sweep Nanooks with 2-1 Win Saturday

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FAIRBANKS, Alaska — Michigan Tech earned a WCHA road sweep of Alaska with a 2-1 victory at Carlson Center tonight. Goaltender Pheonix Copley stopped 28-of-29 shots, and the Huskies scored two special teams goals to move to 6-8-2 overall and 4-3-1 in league play.

For the second straight night, Tech did all of its scoring in the second period.

Rookie Shane Hanna posted his second goal of the weekend with a power-play tally just 26 seconds into the frame. Alex Petan slid a pass to Hanna, who slapped a one-timer from the center of the blue line to put Tech on top 1-0.

Midway through the stanza, captain Blake Pietila was given a major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct. With the teams already skating 4-on-4 and the Nanooks getting out of the box first, that led 12 seconds of 5-on-3. UAF had control in their offensive zone and tried to send a pass to the point. C.J. Eick got a stick on the pass and deflected it to neutral ice just as Tanner Kero was stepping onto the ice. Kero skated in and finished with a backhand underneath Nanook goalie Sean Cahill for a 2-0 lead.

Tech killed the remaining 4:24 of Pietila's major and went into the locker room after 40 minutes with the two-goal lead.

Alaska (5-7-2, 2-6-0 WCHA) cut the lead in half just three minutes into the final period. Copley attempted to glove down Justin Woods' shot from the left point, but the puck got loose. Cody Kunyk slid home the rebound for his 10th goal of the season.

UAF held a 5-2 advantage in shots on goal in the final period, but didn't get any good looks in the final 1:20 with the extra attacker on the ice.

Copley, playing near his hometown of North Pole, finished off the sweep with one final kick save of a shot from neutral ice in the final minute.

Tech finished 1-for-4 on the power play compared to 0-or-3 for Alaska. The hosts held a 29-23 advantage in shots on goal.

"It was a real gutsy effort by our team tonight," said head coach Mel Pearson. "There were a couple big turning points with the major penalty and the shorthanded goal. We showed a lot of poise and patience with the puck, especially in the third period. And what can you say about Pheonix. He came home in front of a lot of family and friends and put on another great performance.

"To get five of eight points on a really tough road trip like this says a lot about our team. We're all looking forward to getting back home."

Michigan Tech will return to home ice for back-to-back league series. The Huskies host Bemidji State this Friday and Saturday (Dec. 6-7) with faceoffs at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena set for 7:07 p.m. each night.

Notes: Petan extended his point streak to eight games with an assist tonight. He and newly-paired linemate C.J. Eick combined for seven points on the weekend … Copley lowered his season goals against average to 1.98, best in the WCHA … Tech now has nine points in the WCHA standings and is just two points back of second-place Bemidji State with two fewer games played than the Beavers.