Bottom-line: The Seawolves lost their third straight Western Collegiate Hockey Association game, and likely any faint hope of generating a second-half surge and gaining home-ice for the playoffs for the first time in program history.
Michigan Tech's 6-4 victory over visiting UAA, combined with the Huskies' 6-2 victory on Friday, also marked the most goals the Seawolves have surrendered in a series in more than five years.
UAA (6-12-2, 3-12-1 WCHA) has lost four of its last five games. Michigan Tech (11-11-1, 8-7-1 WCHA) won three of four games in the season series between the teams.
The Seawolves are 10 points out of a home-ice playoff position with 12 WCHA games left. They are tied for 11th and last place in the league with Minnesota State-Mankato, which Saturday beat Wisconsin, 3-0, behind a power-play goal and power-play assist from Eli Zuck of Anchorage.
After UAA sophomore goaltender Chris Kamal barely lasted more than a period Friday, and with sophomore backstop Rob Gunderson at least temporarily academically ineligible, coach Dave Shyiak handed junior Dusan Sidor his first career start.
It did not start well. Sidor surrendered three goals in the opening 9:55, the third one -- the first goal in Jordan Baker's hat trick -- coming when Sidor misplayed the puck with his glove.
Yet, Sidor regrouped, and UAA charged back from that three-goal deficit at MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton, Mich. Mitch Bruijsten scored late in the first period, and Curtis Leinweber and Jade Portwood racked second-period goals to forge a 3-3 tie heading into the second intermission. Bruijsten's second goal, less than five minutes into the third period, delivered UAA a 4-3 lead.
That did not last long. Michigan Tech answered 38 seconds later on a Baker goal for a 4-4 tie. And Milos Gordic scored four-plus minutes after that to restore the Huskies' lead. Baker's empty-net goal with 68 seconds left completed his hat trick and four-point performance.
The 12 goals the Seawolves gave up over the weekend are the most they have surrendered in a series since giving up 14 at Michigan Tech in a pair of losses -- 9-0 and 5-3 -- on Nov. 27-28, 2006.
Sidor stopped 25 of 30 shots in his third college appearance -- his second appearance came Friday, when he replaced Kamal early in the second period.
Tough night for the goaltenders' union -- Michigan Tech's Josh Robinson stopped 21 of 25 shots. Combine his numbers and Sidor's and they add up to a .818 save percentage for the evening.
While the Seawolves are struggling, Leinweber, a senior who has played both defense and wing in his career, continues to flourish. His goal gives him 6-5--11 totals in the last eight games. Leinweber and winger Brett Cameron (4-7--11), who assisted on his goal, are tied for the team lead in points with Bruijsten (7-4--11).
Bruijsten's two goals gives him seven for the season, tying him for the team lead with the departed Mickey Spencer, who left the team during the holiday break. Bruijsten has scored five of his seven goals in the last four games -- he furnished a hat trick in a 6-3 win at Colorado College on Dec. 9.
The Seawolves will now spend a few days training at Northern Michigan University, Shyiak's alma mater and where he coached before taking over the Seawolves program, before heading to a series at Wisconsin next weekend.
Ferris St. 4, UAF 3
UAF settled for a Central Collegiate Hockey Association split with nationally-ranked Ferris State, which handed the Nanooks a 4-3 loss Saturday night in Big Rapdis, Mich.
Jarret Granberg, Andy Taranto and Ron Meyers scored goals for UAF.
Find Doyle Woody's blog at adn.com/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.
UAA 1 2 1 -- 4
MTU 3 0 3 -- 6
First Period -- 1, MTU, Reddick 1 (C. Pietila, Rix), 2:46; 2, MTU, Reddick 2 (Rix, Gordic), 7:52; 3, MTU, Baker 5 (Kero, MacLeod), 9:55; 4, UAA, Bruijsten 6 (Coldwell, Naslund), 16:58. Penalties -- Naslund, UAA (tripping), 3:07; Naslund, UAA (slashing), 5:30; Reddick, MTU (hooking), 14:30; Olson, MTU (roughing), 17:24; Nielsen, MTU (roughing), 17:24; Gorham, UAA (roughing), 17:24.
Second Period -- 5, UAA, Leinweber 6 (Cameron, Docken), 6:38; 6, UAA, Portwood 3 (Pettitt, Sproule), 12:03. Penalties -- Sova, MTU (tripping), 3:30; Pettitt, UAA (boarding), 7:08; Crowell, UAA (charging), 12:19; C. Pietila, MTU (hooking), 15:04; Currier, UAA (hooking), 17:23.
Third Period -- 7, UAA, Bruijsten 7, 4:41; 8, MTU, Baker 6 (Olson, Sweeney), 5:19; 9, MTU, Gordic 8 (Baker, Stebner), 9:37; 10, MTU, Baker 7, 18:52 (en). Penalties -- Cameron, UAA (checking from behind), 11:50; Currier, UAA (slashing), 15:43; B. Pietila, MTU (roughing), 18:52; Docken, UAA (roughing), 18:52.
Shots on goal -- UAA 4-14-7--25. MTU 14-7-10--31.
Power-play Opportunities -- UAA 0 of 4. MTU 0 of 7.
Goalies -- UAA, Sidor, 0-1-1 (30 shots-25 saves). UAA, Robinson, 10-9-1 (25 shots-21 saves).
A -- 2,672 (4,128). T -- 2:20.
Referees -- Scott Bokal, Craig Welker. Assistant referees -- Dan Juopperi, Ed Moberg.
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