The struggle turned sweet for the UAA hockey team Friday night — a victory over your rival, on its ice, no less, has a way of salving wounds.
And for the Seawolves, it wasn't just their 3-2 win over UAF at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks that lifted spirits, but the manner in which they prospered in Game 1 of the annual four-game Governor's Cup series.
For instance, UAA entered the game with a power play that ranked 59th among the 60 teams in Division I. But Chase Van Allen's man-advantage strike two minutes into the third period held up as the game-winning goal.
The Seawolves' difficulties scoring have been chronicled — 1.50 goals per game, last in the country. Yet while they reached three goals for the fifth time in 17 games, they did so for the fourth time in the last five games.
Consider too that they entered with four goals from their defensemen through 16 games — three of those from Jarrett Brown — and yet received two goals from defensemen. Besides Van Allen's goal, sophomore Eric Roberts opened the scoring with his first career goal in 21 games.
Roberts flourished when UAF goaltender Davis Jones (20 saves) could not handle his 50-foot wrist shot and the Nanooks' defense turned lazy. Roberts, skating 1-on-2 as he entered the zone, fired his initial shot, and then danced around a defenseman to score on his own rebound. That was the second time in 17 games the Seawolves have scored first.
UAA pushed its edge to 2-0 on senior winger Brad Duwe's goal less than three minutes into the second period. The senior from Soldotna's fourth goal of the season ties him with junior captain Matt Anholt and Tad Kozun for the team lead. UAF used defenseman Nicolas Koberstein's goal midway through the second period — that was Koberstein's second goal in 39 career games — to cut UAA's lead to 2-1.
What wasn't unusual was the play of UAA junior goaltender Olivier Mantha, who made his 10th straight start. He turned aside 30 shots, including 15 in the third period.
UAA's win was also worth savoring because the game doubled as a Western Collegiate Hockey Association game and allowed the Seawolves (3-12-2, 2-7-2 WCHA) out of last place, hop over Northern Michigan and move into ninth on the 10-team circuit. UAF (4-11-2, 3-8-2 WCHA) sits eighth entering Saturday night's Game 2 of the Cup in Fairbanks.
UAA's Jonah Renouf furnished two assists.
The Seawolves' victory snapped their seven-game winless streak (0-6-1) against the Nanooks, who beat them 4-1 in a nonconference game in October.
Still, much work remains for the Seawolves, especially in the Governor's Cup. The Nanooks have won the Cup seven straight seasons, although they had to relinquish three of those titles because of NCAA violations.
UAA 1 1 1 — 3
UAF 0 1 1 — 2
First Period — 1, UAA, Roberts 1, 16:42. Penalties — Roberts, UAA (roughing-contact to head), 7:23; Hubbs, UAA (hooking), 17:15; Frye, UAF (charging), 18:20.
Second Period — 2, UAA, Duwe 4 (N. Renouf, J. Renouf), 2:40; 3, UAF, Koberstein 1 (Hinz, Leiter), 9:45. Penalties — Johnson, UAA (interference), 5:12; Frye, UAF (interference), 7:27; N. Renouf, UAA (high-sticking), 11:35; Basara, UAF, double-minor (roughing), 13:07; Azurdia, UAA (slashing), 13:07.
Third Period — 4, UAA, Van Allen 2 (J. Renouf, Ainali), 2:02 (pp); 5, UAF, Van Tetering 6, 18;13 (ea). Penalties — Erickson, UAF (elbowing-contact to head), 1:06; J. Renouf, UAA (holding), 4:24.
Shots on goal — UAA 6-12-6—23. UAF 4-12-16—32.
Power-play Opportunities — UAA 1 of 4. UAF 0 of 5.
Goalies — UAA, Mantha, 3-10-2 (32 shots-30 saves). UAF, Jones, 1-4-1 (23 shots-20 saves).
A — 1,786 (4,595). T — 2:24.
Referees — Josh Lupinek, Kevin Langseth. Assistant referees — David Tise, John Canoy.