November 27, 2010

UAA's Matt Bailey scored twice in Friday's 4-3 OT win at Colorado College

MADISON, Wis. – The Alaska Anchorage Seawolves, behind a pair of goals from center Matt Bailey, 37 saves from Rob Gunderson and the game-winner from left winger Tommy Grant, rallied for a 4-3 overtime road victory over Colorado College on Friday (Nov. 26) evening at the Colorado Springs World Arena in the first game of the lone Western Collegiate Hockey Association series being contested over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The Seawolves (4-7-2, 3-5-1 WCHA) and Tigers (5-7-1, 2-5-0 WCHA) will conclude their two-game set on Saturday evening at 7:07 pm MT. A win by UAA would propel them into sole possession of sixth place in the league standings heading into the month of December.

Elsewhere on Friday, six other WCHA-member teams were engaged in non-conference play, combining for a 3-2-1 record that moved the league's non-conference mark in 2010-11 to 23-14-8 (.600). Claiming victories were No. 12-ranked Denver, by a 6-3 margin over visiting Lake Superior State in Denver Cup Classic action, by Minnesota State, on the road with a 8-3 triumph at UMass-Lowell, and by host and No. 9-ranked North Dakota with a 6-3 decision over No. 11 Notre Dame in Subway Holiday Classic play. In College Hockey Showcase games, host and No. 16-ranked Wisconsin tied No. 8 Michigan while No. 15 Minnesota fell to visiting Michigan State, 5-2. And in Bemidji, the host BSU Beavers came up short against Northern Michigan, 4-0. Idle this week are top-ranked Minnesota Duluth (11-1-2), No. 4-ranked Nebraska Omaha (9-2-1) and St. Cloud State (5-7-2).

In addition to the UAA at CC league matchup on Saturday, non-conference tilts have Denver (9-4-2) hosting Air Force (5-6-1) at 7:07 pm MT in the Denver Cup Classic, Minnesota State (3-6-4) playing at UMass-Lowell (2-9-2) at 4:00 pm ET, North Dakota (9-5-1) again hosting Notre Dame (9-4-1) in the Subway Holiday Classic at 7:07 pm CT, Wisconsin (6-6-3) entertaining Michigan State (5-6-3) at 8:07 pm CT in College Hockey Showcase play and Bemidji State (2-8-1) again hosting Northern Michigan (6-6-2) at 7:07 pm CT.

On Sunday, weekend action concludes when Minnesota (7-5-1) hosts Michigan (8-3-4) in a College Hockey Showcase game at 4:37 pm CT.

Results of Friday, November 26: Minnesota State 8 at UMass Lowell 3 (NC); * Michigan 4 at Wisconsin 4 ot (NC); * Michigan State 5 at Minnesota 2 (NC); # Lake Superior 3 at Denver 6 (NC); Alaska Anchorage 4 at Colorado College 3 ot (WCHA); & Notre Dame 3 at North Dakota 6 (NC); Northern Michigan 4 at Bemidji State 0 (NC). * College Hockey Showcase; # Denver Cup; & Subway Holiday Classic (Grand Forks, ND).

Games for Saturday, November 27: Minnesota State at UMass Lowell (NC), 4:00 pm ET; Alaska Anchorage at Colorado College (WCHA), 7:07 pm MT; * Air Force at Denver (NC), 7:07 pm MT; # Notre Dame at North Dakota (NC), 7:07 pm CT; Northern Michigan at Bemidji State (NC), 7:07 pm CT; & Michigan State at Wisconsin (NC), 8:07 pm CT. * Denver Cup; # Subway Holiday Classic (Grand Forks, ND); & College Hockey Showcase.

Games for Sunday, November 28: * Michigan at Minnesota (NC), 4:37 pm CT. * College Hockey Showcase.

Alaska Anchorage 4 @ Colorado College 3 ot (WCHA): Center Matt Bailey scored two goals, including a game-tying shorthander at 19:54 of the third period, and right winger Tommy Grant added the game-winner at 3:50 of overtime as the visiting Seawolves overcame the Tigers, 4-3, before 6,962 at Colorado Springs World Arena. Also for UAA, goaltender Rob Gunderson had 37 saves while for CC, right winger Tyler Johnson scored twice.

Minnesota State 8 @ UMass-Lowell 3 (NC): Eight players had multiple-point nights, led by right winger Justin Jokinen's three-goal hat trick, as visiting Minnesota State cruised to a 8-3 non-conference road victory at UMass-Lowell before 2,645. Netting the game-winner for the Mavericks on a power-play at 5:01 of the second period was left winger Michael Dorr (1g, 2a) while center Rylan Galiardi (2g, 1a) also had three points.

Lake Superior State 3 @ Denver 6 (NC): Center Drew Shore produced four points, including a three-goal hat trick and right winger Beau Bennett added a goal and an assist to propel the host Pioneers over the Lakers 6-3 before 4,535 in Denver Cup Classic action at Magness Arena. The game-winner for DU came off the stick of right winger Dustin Jackson on a third period power-play at 9:21.

Notre Dame 3 @ North Dakota 6 (NC): Eleven players contributed points, led by left winger Jason Gregoire's two goals and an assist, as host North Dakota doubled up on Notre Dame 6-3 in Subway Holiday Classic play before a sellout crowd of 11,680 at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Scoring the winner for the Sioux, at 18:22 of period two, was defenseman Chay Genoway. Forwards Corban Knight (1g, 1a) and Michael Cichy (1g, 1a) also had two points each for UND.

Michigan 4 @ Wisconsin 4 (NC): UW defenseman Jake Gardiner notched three points, including a game-tying power-play goal at 0:49 of the third period, as the host Badgers skated to a 4-4 (ot) tie with the Wolverines before 12,820 at the Kohl Center. Also recording multi-point games for Wisconsin were right winger Mark Zengerle (2a) and defenseman Justin Schultz (1g, 1a). Five of the goals in the game came on the power-play (UW 3-of-6, Michigan 2-of-5).

Michigan State 5 @ Minnesota 2 (NC): The visiting Spartans jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead in the first 8:48, with right winger Bret Berlini netting the game-winner, en route to a 5-2 College Hockey Showcase win over the host Golden Gophers before 9,798 at Mariucci Arena. Goals for Minnesota came from center Taylor Matson and defenseman Cade Fairchild.

Northern Michigan 4 @ Bemidji State 0 (NC): Goaltender Reid Ellingson stopped all 37 shots on goal and center Nicholas Kosinski tallied the game-winner at 19:42 of the first as the visiting Wildcats upended the Beavers 4-0 before 3,505 at Sanford Center.

Games for Friday, December 3: Colorado College at Michigan Tech (WCHA), 7:07 pm ET; Denver at Minnesota Duluth (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; Wisconsin at Alaska Anchorage (WCHA), 7:07 pm AT; Minnesota at Minnesota State (WCHA), 7:37 pm CT; St. Cloud State at North Dakota (WCHA), 7:37 pm CT; Nebraska Omaha at Bemidji State (WCHA), 7:37 pm CT.

Games for Saturday, December 4: Colorado College at Michigan Tech (WCHA), 7:07 pm ET; Denver at Minnesota Duluth (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; Minnesota at Minnesota State (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; St. Cloud State at North Dakota (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; Nebraska Omaha at Bemidji State (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; Wisconsin at Alaska Anchorage (WCHA), 7:07 pm AT.