Anchorage Daily News

UAA jumped North Dakota for a goal on the second shift of the game Friday night, raced to a three-goal lead about halfway through the game and then burned off a five-minute power play by the Fighting Sioux in the third period.

But then the Seawolves had to withstand two late goals to capture a 3-2 Western Collegiate Hockey Association victory in Grand Forks, N.D.

The Seawolves, who entered the evening with one goal in 10 games from a defenseman, doubled that output in short order. Nils Backstrom scored 67 seconds into the game, beating Sioux starting goalie Aaron Walski with a one-timed blast from the right point. Freshman defenseman Curtis Leinweber added his first career goal seven minutes into the second period and sophomore right wing Sean Wiles furnished his first career goal at the 13:01 mark of the period to give UAA a 3-0 lead and chase Walski.

Former Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner Ryan Duncan, North Dakota's captain, scored a late power-play goal to prevent UAA goalie Jon Olthuis from bagging his second career shutout. Then things got very interesting when North Dakota's Brett Hextall scored an extra-attacker goal with 43 seconds left.

UAA won in Grand Forks for the third time in program history, which covers 29 games in the relatively new Engelstad Arena and in the old barn of the same name.

The Seawolves, who won seven games overall last season and three in league, improved to 6-3-2 overall and 3-2-2 in the WCHA.

The teams wrap their two-game series tonight.

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