The Nanooks delivered a pair of nail-biting wins over the nationally ranked University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks.

The first game drew the highest home attendance to date this season, 3,990, and saw the Nanooks triumph over Nebraska by a score of 3 to 1.

The first period was scoreless, but featured seven penalties, five on UNO. Despite this, the Mavericks managed to get off eight shots in the first seven minutes of play, with the Nanooks evening it up at 12 shots each by the end of the period.

The second period was scoreless up until the end, with UAF's Adam Powell netting a shot from an assist by Jason Grinevitch and Jared Sylvestre. The second period ended only 40 seconds later, with UAF up by one and both teams with 14 shots on goal.

The score remaining unchanged through the first ten minutes of the third period. At 10:35 on the clock, with both teams shorthanded from penalties, UAF's Kelly Czuy scored a second goal on UNO's goalkeeper, Chris Holt, assisted by Nathan Fornataro and Curtis Fraser.

A little over a minute later, however, Bill Thomas of the Mavericks scored a power-play shot, on assists from Kaleb Betts and Dan Knapp, bringing the score to 2 to 1. UNO called time with only 2:02 remaining in the game, but UAF's Kyle Greentree scored an insurance goal, assisted by Czuy and Fornataro, with 1:43 to play.

The Mavericks pulled their goalie on a penalty by UAF's Aaron Lee at 1:33, giving them a 2-man advantage, but Nanook goalie Wylie Rogers withstood the Mavericks, winning his second game for the 'Nooks.

The next night, the Nanooks again faced down and defeated the Mavericks, in front of a near-capacity crowd of 4,330.

The first period on Saturday was remarkably similar to that on Friday, with no goals and nine penalties, five on the Mavericks, including one for charging after the clock ran out for the period, giving the 'Nooks a double power-play for the start of the second period. Throughout it all, though, the Nanooks were out-shot 8 to 13.

UAF's Ryan McLeod scored the first shot of the evening, assisted by Powell, one second after the end of a UAF power play, at 14:52 on the clock. A little over two minutes later, at 12:26, Fraser netted another goal, assisted by Greentree and Czuy. The period ended with UAF having been out-shot again, 11 to 14.

In the third period, the Mavericks closed the gap a little, with Scott Parse netting one behind Rogers from Thomas and Joe Grimaldi at 15:21 on the clock. Rogers had been out of the net blocking another shot, and couldn't get back in time to stop this one. A valiant attempt at a save with Fraser diving across the net was not in time.

Less than three minutes later, UNO's Brandon Scero scored again, assisted by Jason Krischuk and Bryan Marshall, at 12:54. This tied the game up at 2. Only 30 seconds later, the Mavericks' Betts slammed into UAF's Corbin Schmidt, knocking him down, and earning himself an ejection from the game and his team a five-minute major penalty. This was served by team captain Mike Lefley.

Czuy was able to make good a little over a minute later, scoring on an assist from Grinevitch and Greentree at 11:41. The Nanooks remained on the power play, but were unable to capitalize on it again.

The Mavericks called time with only 45 seconds remaining, but were unable to accomplish anything, and as the clock ran out, the Nanooks won with a final score of 3 to 2. The final shot tally was 27 to 38, with the Nanooks having been out-shot for the first time at home, and only the second time this season.

These victories put the Nanooks solidly into fourth place in the CCHA standings, with a record of 3 and 1 in the conference; 7 and 2 overall. UAF plays next weekend against the Lakers of Lake Superior State University in Sault-Ste. Marie, Michigan. The next home games are over Thanksgiving weekend against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.

Photo by Stephanie Taylor/ Sun Star
UAF right wing, Lucas Burnett (11), scrambles with University of Nebraska, Omaha forward David Morelli (15), Saturday at the Carlson Center. The Nanooks defeated the Mavericks, 3-2.

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