A three-goal explosion midway through the second period keyed No. 14 Alaska-Fairbanks, which beat 15th-ranked Ohio State, 6-3, at the Carlson Center Friday night.
Ryan Campbell netted two of the three key goals to pace UAF. The Buckeyes were led by R.J. Umberger and Mike McCormick, who each posted a goal and an assist.
With the loss, the Buckeyes fall to 14-11-4 and 9-8-4 in the CCHA. UAF improves to 18-10-2, 13-10-2 in league play. The Buckeyes and Nanooks complete the two-game series at 11:05 p.m. EST Saturday.
The Buckeyes opened the scoring, as Miguel Lafleche put in a loose puck from in front of the net for his seventh goal of the season, assisted by Scott May and Paul Caponigri at 8:31. The Nanooks responded with a goal at 12:59, with Ryan Lang blasting the puck past OSU goalie Mike Betz off a 3-on-2. Both teams had 12 shots in the period.
In the second period, Alaska-Fairbanks scored three goals in less than two minutes to go up, 4-1. The Nanooks scored their second goal on the power play, with Tom Herman scoring past a screened Betz at 9:34.
Campbell then scored two goals within 39 seconds, with the first goal coming on a breakaway at 10:37 and the second at 11:16. The Buckeyes outshot the Nanooks, 5-4, in the period.
The Buckeyes drew within one, 4-3, in the third period. Umberger tallied at 8:45 assisted by McCormick, followed by a McCormick score of his own at 14:43.
The Buckeyes pulled Betz for the extra attacker and the Nanooks sealed the game with an empty-net goal by Aaron Voros. Lang ended the scoring, tallying on a breakaway with 22 seconds remaining.
For the game, Ohio State did not score on its three power-play chances, while the Nanooks were 1-for-3. The Buckeyes outshot the Nanooks, 30-22, in the game, including 13-6 in the third period.
