> UMD, Nicklin keep Anchorage in deep freeze
> Shutout moves Bulldogs up WCHA ladder
>
> By Doyle Woody
> Anchorage Daily News
>
>
> ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A span of perhaps 10 seconds
> early in the second period of Saturday night's 2-0 loss to
> Minnesota-Duluth perfectly illustrated the University of
> Alaska-Anchorage's scoring difficulties this hockey season.
>
> With the Seawolves enjoying a 5-on-3 power play, senior
> captain Stacy Prevost twice launched rocketing one-timers
> from the left circle. The first ricocheted harmlessly off the far
> post and the second turned into a spectacular pad save as
> UMD goaltender Brant Nicklin quickly ranged across his
> crease and robbed Prevost.
>
> And so it goes for UAA, which lost the Western Collegiate
> Hockey Association contest in front of 3,129 fans at Sullivan
> Arena and tied a school single-season record by getting shut
> out a third time.
>
> Perhaps the only consolation for the Seawolves was that
> their 30 shots on goal -- 12 of them in the final period --
> marked the most they've generated since their season
> opener. And at least the three shutouts they've suffered this
> season didn't come in consecutive games, which is how last
> year's squad established the team record for most shutouts.
>
> Nicklin's save on Prevost's second close call allowed the
> Bulldogs to maintain the 2-0 lead they established in the first
> 10:43 of the game. Nicklin moved from the left post all the
> way across to the right post in the blink of an eye to repel
> Prevost's hard blast.
>
> ``Unbelievable,'' UMD coach Mike Sertich said.
>
> ``Unbelievable,'' Alaska-Anchorage coach Dean Talafous
> echoed.
>
> Prevost credited Nicklin, the sophomore who recorded his
> third shutout of the season and fourth of his career, but said
> the Seawolves must cash in when presented with such
> glorious opportunities.
>
> ``He played really well tonight, but there comes a point in
> time when you have to bury your chances,'' Prevost said.
 
 ******** HAVE THE GOPHERS SEEN THIS QUOTE ********
>
> The Seawolves have produced just 31 goals in their 18
> games, an average of just 1.72 per game, making them the
> least productive offense in the WCHA.
>
> ''I'd be lying if I said it's not frustrating, because we had
> chances,'' Prevost said.
>
> UMD, which lost to Anchorage 2-1 Friday, raised its record
> to 8-10 overall and 5-9 in league play. The Seawolves
> (4-11-3, 4-8-2) and Bulldogs are tied for sixth place, but
> UMD has played two fewer conference games.
>
> The Bulldogs bolted to their 2-0 lead by finding open men
> perched on the doorstep of UAA's goal.
>
> Colin Anderson set up Ryan Homstol on a power play 6:36
> into the game and then set up Jeff Scissons four minutes
> later. Anchorage freshman goalie Pete Brady didn't have
> much of a chance to stop either goal.
>
> Talafous inserted Doug Teskey, who entered the weekend
> as the second-stingiest goalie in the league, to begin the
> second period. Teskey stopped all 14 shots he faced and,
> combined with his win Friday, he saved 36 of 37 shots he
> faced.
>
> ''It wasn't Brady's fault,'' Talafous said of his goalie switch.
> ''But we had two periods to win the game, so you put your
> best goalie in there and put your best players on the ice.''
>
> Teskey held the Bulldogs in check. Of course, Nicklin
> continued to do the same to the Seawolves.
>
> ''We couldn't finish,'' Talafous said. ''Their goalie played well
> and we couldn't finish.''
>
> Anchorage outshot UMD 12-3 in the final period and often
> stormed Nicklin's net.
>
> But Nicklin was solid in controlling rebounds, and for all
> their considerable effort the Seawolves had trouble getting
> clean shots off whatever few loose pucks were around.
>
> ''I didn't feel threatened until they pulled their goalie,'' Sertich
> said.
>
> Anchorage pulled Teskey for a sixth attacker with 81
> seconds remaining.
>
> Even though the Seawolves couldn't break through on
> Nicklin, Talafous liked what he saw from his team over the
> final 40 minutes.
>
> ''The third period was probably as well as we played all
> year,'' he said. ''We didn't think. We just played hard and
> only allowed them three shots.''
>
>
> Minnesota-Duluth          2-0-0--2
> Alaska-Anchorage          0-0-0--0
>
> First period -- 1. UMD, Ryan Homstol 5 (Colin Anderson,
> Jeff Scissons), 6:36 (pp); 2. UMD, Scissons 5 (Anderson,
> Homstol), 10:43. Penalties -- Dave Westcott, Anchorage,
> (hooking), 5:27; Anderson, UMD, (slashing), 11:30; Jesse
> Fibiger, UMD, (roughing), 14:54; Stacy Prevost,
> Anchorage, (slashing the goaltender), 14:54; Bert Gilling,
> UMD, (holding), 19:56.
> Second period -- No scoring. Penalties -- Curtis Doell,
> UMD, (slashing), :38; Jeff Edwards, Anchorage, (hooking),
> 10:38.
> Third period -- No scoring. Penalties -- Ryan Coole, UMD,
> (holding), 5:17; Doell, UMD, (holding), 14:47 (served by
> Mark Gunderson); Doell, UMD (10-minute misconduct),
> 14:47; Scissons, UMD, (roughing), 19:24; Prevost,
> Anchorage, (roughing), 19:24.
> Shots on goal -- UMD 10-11-3--24, Anchorage
> 10-8-12--30. Goalies -- UMD, Brant Nicklin (30 shots, 30
> saves); Anchorage, Pete Brady (10-8), Doug Teskey
> (14-14). Power plays -- UMD 1 of 2, Anchorage 0 of 7.
> Referee -- Don Adam. Assistant referees -- Jeff Cooper,
> Jon Elvy. A -- 4,676.
 
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