Nanooks sweep Huskies in Houghton

Courtesy of MTU Athletics

HOUGHTON, Mich. —  Michigan Tech surrendered seven goals for the second straight night to Alaska in a 7-2 loss Saturday at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. The visiting Nanooks earned the weekend sweep and season series split as the road team won all four games.

Tech (12-16-6, 10-10-4 WCHA) controlled the first few minutes of the game with a couple good scoring chances. It was Alaska netting the first goal, however. A goal-front scramble ended in a Colton Beck’s first goal of the game.

Malcolm Gould was whistled for a major penalty for checking from behind and given a game misconduct at the 18:33 mark.

The visitors added a power-play marker just six seconds before the intermission for a 2-0 lead at the break.

UAF scored three unanswered goals to grab a 5-0 lead in the second period before the Huskies broke the ice. Tanner Kero fired a shot from atop the left circle through traffic at the 19:18 mark. Riley Sweeney and Blake Hietala drew assists on the play.

The margin grew back to five with a Tyler Morley tally 1:48 into third.

Hietala registered his second point of the night and second goal of the weekend with a tip of a Chris Leibinger shot midway through the final frame. The Nanooks wrapped up scoring at 17:28 on their third power-play goal of the game.

Alaska finished 3-for-6 on the man advantage while Tech was 1-for-5.

Goaltender Sean Cahill stopped 17-of-19 shots on net to earn the win. Phoenix Copley absorbed the loss with 21 saves on 26 shots in 40 minutes of action. Jamie Phillips again worked the third period.

“It was a tough weekend,” said coach Mel Pearson. “Alaska played extremely well. The five-minute major really hurt us. They got the lead, and we could never catch up.

“They came in as the desperate team. The standings are so tight, now we’re the desperate team. We’ve got to be ready to scratch and claw next weekend.”

Michigan Tech will wrap up its 2013-14 regular season home schedule next Friday (Feb. 21) with a game against rival Northern Michigan. Face-off is set for 7:07 p.m.