Two penalties in the second period were too many for Alaska-Anchorage.
Colorado College converted on both its power-play opportunities in the second period, snapping a one-all tie and leading the Tigers to a 4-1 win over the Seawolves before 5,526 fans at the Colorado Springs World Arena Friday.
The victory extends Colorado College’s winning streak to four games, and the Tigers, now 7-1-1, are unbeaten in their last seven contests. Alaska-Anchorage, meanwhile, has not won since opening night, falling to 1-4-2.
“We were very sound defensively tonight,” said Colorado College goaltender Curtis McElhinney, who stopped 20 shots to record his fifth win of the season. “It was one of our better games.”
The Tigers got on the board first with the Seawolves on their second power play of the game. Colin Stuart stole the puck at the blue line, and his unassisted wrister beat goaltender Kevin Reiter top-shelf for his second shorthanded tally of the year.
Alaska-Anchorage responded just 18 seconds later, still with the man advantage. Ales Parez redirected a shot from the top of the circle that deflected off Tigers’ defenseman Jason Jozsa’s stick past McElhinney.
“One of those guys fired it to the side boards, and it hit Jozsa’s stick,” said McElhinney. “That’s okay, we’ll give them that one.”
That goal would be all McElhinney and the Tigers would give the Seawolves, who came in to the contest as one of the top penalty-killing units in the country, having allowed only three power-play goals in 25 opportunities.
However, that success came to an end in the second period. Early in the frame, Alaska-Anchorage’s B.J. Ballas, second on the team in penalties, was whistled for interference. On the ensuing power play, Peter Sejna found an open Tom Preissing between the faceoff circles, and his wrister found the upper-right corner for his 10th goal of the season and the eventual game-winner.
Just eight seconds after another Ballas penalty later in the period, Colorado College converted again. After winning the faceoff, Andrew Canzanello fired a slap shot from just inside the blue line that Reiter never saw.
With a two-goal cushion heading into the final 20 minutes, the Tigers slowed the tempo, turning the game into a puck-possession contest. The strategy worked, as the Seawolves managed just five shots on goal in the penalty-free third period.
Colorado College completed the scoring with 10:55 remaining, as Richard Petiot fired a shot from inside the left faceoff circle that Brett Sterling redirected past Reiter. The goal was the seventh of the season for the freshman, who was named the first star of the game.
“I was hoping for the goal, but that’s okay; [Sterling] needs them,” said Petiot.
“A big thing for us was not to get many penalties,” said Petiot about a Colorado College team that committed 14 in its last contest. “It really puts our team down.”
Reiter finished with 23 saves in the loss.
