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Well, due to a misunderstanding on my part about who was going to write up
this game, and some mail messages that I didn't understand until just now,
an article did not get written for this final game when UAA and NMU went
at it for a third time....sorry for the delay folks.
FINAL GAME: NISSAN/JEEP CLASSIC
NMU: 1-2-1 4
UAA: 1-0-1 2
FIRST PERIOD AA-NM
1. AA1: Paul Williams #2 (Mark Stitt) 3:16 1-0
2. NM1: Scott Beattie #16 (Dallas Drake) 10:08 1-1
SECOND PERIOD
3. NM2: Mark Beaufait #17 (Dallas Drake, Jim Hiller) 16:36 PPG 1-2
4. NM3: Brent Riplinger #17 (Jason Hehr) 16:54 1-3
THIRD PERIOD
5. AA2: Brad Stewart #4 (Keith Morris) 0:53 PPG 2-3
6. NM4: Scott Beattie #17 (Dallas Drake) 5:08 2-4
SHOTS ON GOAL: Alaska Anchorage: 14--5-13 32
Northern Michigan: 11-15--4 30
GOALIES: Alaska Anchorage, Paul Krake (10-3-0, 30 shots, 26 saves)
Northern Michigan, Rob Kruhlak ( 32 shots, 30 saves)
PENALTIES: Alaska-Anchorage: 11/34 Northern Michigan: 11/27
POWER PLAYS: Alaska-Anchorage: 1 of 7 Northern Michigan: 1 of 6
ATTENDANCE: 6421 Standing room only sellout (Home average now 6106)
TOURNAMENT MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER: Dallas Drake (NMU)
I had been looking forward to this potential game for months, and despite the
outcome, I still rank it up there as one of the better ones that I have seen.
Both teams skated very hard, and it was quite evident that both were going to
fight to the last for the tournament title. In addition, since Northern
Michigan was the team to knock the Seawolves out of the NC** playoffs last
year, the Seawolves had that added desire to get this win.
NOT to take anything away from Northern Michigan, as they ARE an outstanding
team (!), and I really enjoyed watching them, but I think that UAA definitely
played well enough to win. However, when they let their guard down for the
later few minutes of the second period, the Wildcats took advantage and
capitalized on it, and it ended up being two great a deficit against the top
team in the WCHA to come back from.
As quoted from the Anchorage Times. "Northern Michigan wing Dallas Drake, who
was named the tournament's most outstanding player, came away impressed with
the Seawolves. 'Alaska is an excellent hockey club,' Drake said. 'We got some
lucky breaks there. I think they played a similar style to last year...
They're a very tenacious type team that never gives up."
One call that I think might of turned the game around for the Seawolves was a
goal that was waved due to an offsides call. I was sitting on the blue line,
and it did not appear to be within 12 inches of being offsides to me. To give
credit where credit is due, the Wildcats had a goal waved also when referee
Chick Yackel said that he had called a penalty before the puck entered the net,
but I was unable to see the call, so I can't comment.
Overall though, despite the disappointment, I think that the Seawolves
continued to grow by playing NMU, and they DEFINITELY played very very well. I
look forward to the next meeting (?!?) of these two teams, and hope that I will
get to be there to see it. *GRIN*
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