The UAA hockey team scored its most goals in more than two months Saturday in a 4-3 Western Collegiate Hockey Association win over Alabama-Huntsville, and the Seawolves probably should have scored even more.
UAA outshot the Chargers 31-12 in the game and 14-3 in the first period at Sullivan Arena. The four goals were the team's most since a 5-0 win over Ferris State on Nov. 14.
"To be honest, our line should have scored probably five or six more goals, but that's how it goes on any given night," said winger Anthony Conti, who assisted on UAA's first and last goals.
"I thought we had a lot of time and space today. They're a pretty passive team. We had a lot of back-door opportunities."
The Chargers (6-17-3, 4-13-3 WCHA), who beat UAA 2-1 Friday, took the lead seven minutes into the game on a goal from winger Regan Soquila. Alabama-Huntsville's Brent Fletcher's pass found Soquila right in front of UAA goaltender Olivier Mantha for the quick score.
The Seawolves (10-13-3, 7-11-2 WCHA) evened the score minutes later on winger Brad Duwe's sixth goal of the season, with assists by Sean MacTavish and Conti.
UAA took the lead with two minutes left in the first period when Matt Anholt slid a short pass to Tad Kozun, who found himself alone with Charger goaltender Matt Larose, and fired in the easy goal.
In the second period, Blake Tatchell went right to left around a defender and Larose and found room on the left side of the net to poke in the puck and put UAA up 3-1.
But every time the Seawolves looked liked they'd blow the game open, the Chargers charged right back.
Alabama-Huntsville made it 3-2 late in the second period, and when UAA made it 4-2 on a Jarrett Brown goal in the third period, the Chargers scored again a little more than a minute later.
"We really missed those opportunities to blow it open," UAA coach Matt Thomas said. "We certainly had some good opportunities and some good possession time, and you know they are a good team. Those were some good goals — they really earned it."
After the game, Thomas said the Kozun-Anholt-Nils Rygaard line, along with Tatchell, shined the most in the win. The four tallied the most ice time and Rygaard, a freshman, played center instead of his usual position of left wing.
"Those four just in terms of what they had to deal with and how they needed to log extra minutes, those guys definitely (impressed)," Thomas said.
"Nils Rygaard, our new freshman playing out of position playing center because we're so banged up down the middle in terms of center men — he probably played well over 20 minutes, which is a lot for a forward."
The win stopped a three-game skid for the Seawolves, who return to the road next week. UAA plays Northern Michigan on Friday and Saturday in Marquette, Michigan.
Ala.-Huntsville 1 1 1 — 3
UAA 2 1 1 — 4
First Period — 1, Ala.-Huntsville, Soquila 3 (Fleetcher, Salhany), 7:17; 2, UAA, Duwe 6 (MacTavish, Conti); 3, UAA, Kozun 11 (Anholt), 18:07. Penalties ?— MacTavish, UAA (high-sticking), 4:51; Poulsen, Ala.-Huntsville (roughing), 15:02.
Second Period — 4, UAA, Tatchell 6 (Brown), 3:58; 5, Ala.-Huntsville, Poulsen (Houcher, McHugh), 12:36. Penalties — None.
Third Period — 6, UAA, Brown 3 (MacTavish, Conti), 11:49; 7, Ala.-Hunstville, Soquila 4 (Gosselin, Champagne), 12:57. Penalties — Poulsen, Ala.-Huntsville (tripping), 6:15.
Shots on goal — Ala.-Huntsville 3-3-6—12. UAA 14-11-6—31.
Power-play Opportunities ?— Ala.-Huntsville 0 of 1. UAA 0 of 2.
Goalies — Ala.-Huntsville, Larose, 4-5-2 (31 shots-27 saves). UAA, Mantha, 9-12-3 (12 shots-9 saves).
A — 1,799. T — 2:18.
Referees — Butch Mousseaux, Pete Friesena. Assistant referees ?— Carl Saden, Travis Jackson.