UAA freshman Brayden Camrud made history Friday night at the Seawolf Sports Complex but the UAF hockey team skated away with the victory.
A small crowd watched a big game go the way of the Nanooks, who used a second-period power-play goal to beat the Seawolves 2-1 on a night when college hockey returned to the UAA campus.
The game marked the start of a new era for UAA hockey, which for the first time since the 1982-83 season is playing its home games at the on-campus rink that seats hundreds rather than thousands.
Camrud, a forward from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, became the first player to score a goal on the Seawolves’ old-but-new home ice.
His unassisted goal gave UAA the lead a little more than 15 minutes into the Western Collegiate Hockey Association game, which drew a crowd of 616 that nearly filled the bleachers. Seating is limited to one side of the rink, which served as UAA’s practice ice during the 35 seasons the team played at Sullivan Arena.
UAA’s 1-0 lead lasted about four minutes. UAF tied it with 46 seconds left in the period on Max Newton’s goal and got the game-winner from Tristian Thompson midway through the second period.
The Seawolves were outshot 15-6 in the first period but kept UAF goaltender Anton Martinsson busy in the second and third periods. They outshot UAF 21-10 in that span, including 11-3 in the third period. One of their third-period shots came from Alex Frye on a short-handed breakaway, but Martinsson made the save.
Martinsson finished with 26 saves, and UAA goalie Kris Carlson had 23. UAA was scoreless on four power plays.
The game was the first of the annual Governor’s Cup series between Alaska’s college hockey teams. The second game is Saturday at 5:07 p.m.
The Seawolves will be looking for their first win of the season — they are 0-3-0 so far, including 0-1-0 in the WCHA.
The Nanooks are 4-3-0 overall and 3–0-0 in the WCHA.