Alaska-Anchorage ended North Dakota’s five-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory behind hot goaltending by freshman Nathan Lawson.
The UND loss, combined with Wisconsin’s defeat of Minnesota-Duluth, knocked the sixth-ranked Sioux out of first place in the WCHA. The Sioux are 10-6-2 overall and 8-5-1 in conference play. UAA improves to 6-7-1 overall and 4-6-0 in the WCHA.
Lawson was a human wall for the Seawolves late in the third period when the Sioux peppered him with shots. With goalie Jordan Parise out for the extra attacker in the game’s final minute, Lawson robbed Sioux defenseman Matt Jones on a point-blank shot from the slot with about 20 seconds left.
Through two periods of play, the game was knotted 0-0 as Parise matched Lawson save for save. UND finally solved the UAA netminder 1:48 into the third period with a goal by freshman forward Rastislav Spirko.
But the Seawolves needed only 26 seconds to tie the game. Sophomore forward Brent McMann’s shot through traffic from the top of the left circle beat Parise cleanly.
UAA got the game-winner at 5:22 when junior defenseman Spence Gilchrist blasted a shot from the right point that beat Parise short side to make it 2-1.
The Sioux turned up the heat in the final three minutes of the game, but couldn’t get the puck past Lawson. They outshot the Seawolves 17-5 in the third and 39-22 for the game. UAA was 0-4 on the power play while UND was 0-2.
UAA is at home against Colorado College for a two-game series Dec. 10-11. The Sioux travel to Minnesota-Duluth for two games Dec. 10-11, their last conference games before January.
