UAA Athletics

Nanooks throttle UAA to secure home ice in WCHA playoffs

UAF breezed past the UAA hockey team 6-1 Saturday night in Fairbanks to claim two big rewards.

The victory was worth an eighth straight Governor’s Cup trophy, and it gives the Nanooks home ice in the first round of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs.

UAF won the four-game Governor’s Cup series 3-1 thanks to its weekend sweep of the Seawolves, who lost 5-2 Friday night despite taking an early two-goal lead.

UAA led 1-0 Saturday on Jared Nash’s goal 79 seconds into the second period at the Carlson Center, but the Nanooks answered less than three minutes later with a power play goal.

UAF led 3-1 at the end of the period, added three goals in the third period and finished with a 34-21 shot advantage.

Both teams are headed to next week’s WCHA playoffs, which feature the top eight teams in the 10-team conference.

Saturday’s victory lifted the Nanooks to a fourth-place tie with Bowling Green. They won the tiebreakers and will host fifth-seeded Bowling Green in a series that begins Thursday at the Carlson Center. UAA, the eighth seed, will travel to Mankato, Minnesota, to face regular-season champion Minnesota State.

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