Last week in St. Cloud, the Chargers were bitten twice by huge periods, but this time they found their own to end their slump. UAH scored four times in the first period to defeat Alaska Anchorage 5-2 on Friday at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage.
The Chargers (3-7-1 overall, 3-3-1 WCHA) set a season high for goals to end an eight-game winless streak. The Seawolves fell to 1-6-0 overall and 0-3-0 in conference play.
UAH took control of the game from the start. At 1:29, Cam Knight’s blast from the right point put the Chargers on the board, assisted by Madison Dunn and Matt Salhany.
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFEpp-IL4FY[/embedyt]
On their first power play at 1:54, UAH made it 2-0 as Hans Gorowsky deflected a shot from Brandon Parker. Max McHugh got the secondary assist.
The Chargers led 3-0 after a miscue by UAA starting goaltender Rasmus Reijola. Jordan Larson took the puck behind the net after a shot, and Reijola crossed the crease to his left. But Larson went the other way, sending a puck in front to Brennan Saulnier, who scored on the open net at the 6:19 mark.
Reijola would last only 7:24 before being pulled for Olivier Mantha.
The Seawolves asserted themselves for the rest of the period, and got on the board with 6:53 left, when Brad Duwe, making his season debut after preseason knee surgery, beat UAH goalie Jordan Uhelski with a backhander from just inside the goal line.
UAH regained its three-goal lead at 4-1 with 1:54 left in the first. John Teets scored his first collegiate goal on a nice centering pass from McHugh. Tyler Poulsen got the other assist as the Chargers scored four times in a period for the first time since March 4 of last season against Bowling Green.
Duwe scored his second goal while UAA had a two-man advantage early in the second period, this time from the doorstep to Uhelski’s right, cutting UAH’s lead to 4-2. It was UAA’s first multi-goal game in seven games this season.
Meanwhile, Kestner had a couple of chances for goals denied. Reijola got him in the first period, and Mantha stoned him on a two-on-none in the second period.
UAH got the exclamation point after UAA’s Mason Mitchell knocked down Kester after the whistle, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Kurt Gosselin converted on the power play with a long-range shot with 5:31 to go, assisted by Saulnier and Larson.
UAH ended up outshooting the Seawolves 29-27. Uhelski made 25 saves in the win. Mantha stopped 19 of 21 shots for the Seawolves.
It was UAH’s second win ever in Anchorage in 16 tries, the first victory coming last season.
Game two of the series is Saturday at 10:07 p.m. Central Time.