FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, December 4, 2004
Contact Dave Geringer, Sports Information Director
Phone: 907-474-6807


Ohio State Defeats UAF, 5-2, Sweeps Series

COLUMBUS, OH-Ohio State exploded for three goals late in the second period and   held on for a 5-2 Central Collegiate Hockey Association victory over the University of Alaska Fairbanks and a sweep of their two-game series at Value City Arena on the OSU campus Saturday evening.

The Buckeyes scored three times during a span of seven minutes and 15 seconds late in the second period to overcome a 2-1 UAF advantage and enter the third period with a 4-2 lead.

Domenic Maiani’s goal at 11:58 of the second period allowed OSU to tie the score at 2-2. Sean Collins and John Dingle assisted on the play. Lee Spector broke the tie when he converted a pass from Collins at 16:08 of the second period, giving OSU a 3-2 lead. Matt Beaudoin also assisted. Dan Knapp’s second power play goal of the game, at the 19:13 mark of the second period, gave the Buckeyes a 4-2 advantage. Collins, who assisted on all three second-period goals for Ohio State, drew the assist on Knapp’s goal.

Collins picked up his fourth point of the night when he scored the only goal of the third period for the Buckeyes. His goal, the third OSU power play goal of the night, came with a two-man advantage and was assisted by Maiani and Rod Pelley.

Alaska Fairbanks had taken a 2-1 lead when junior right wing Kelly Czuy (Edmonton, AB/Canmore-AJHL) scored just 39 seconds into the second period. Czuy cut into the Buckeye zone and snapped a wrist shot over the shoulder of OSU goaltender Dave Caruso.

The teams exchanged goals in the first period, which ended in a 1-1 tie. Senior center Jared Sylvestre (Bonnyville, AB/Bonnyville-AJHL) struck first for the Nanooks, driving a rebound past Caruso with UAF on the power play at 8:59 of the first period. Freshman defenseman Darcy Campbell (Airdrie, AB/Olds-AJHL) and senior right wing Jason Grinevitch (Glendon, AB/Drayton Valley-AJHL) assisted on the play.

The Buckeyes tied it, taking advantage of a two-man advantage at the 15:51 mark as Knapp tipped a goalmouth pass past freshman goaltender Wylie Rogers (Fairbanks, AK/Victoria-BCHL). Nate Guenin and John Dingle assisted.

The Nanooks outshot Ohio State, 39-34. Caruso made 37 saves, while Rogers made 29.

Alaska Fairbanks fell to 6-6-0 overall and 5-5-0 in CCHA play with the defeat. OSU, improved to 11-4-1 and 9-2-1. UAF will return to action when they host Northern Michigan at the Carlson Center next weekend.

                                          -UAF HOCKEY-