His team may have beaten the Western Ontario Mustangs, but the 2-1 score Friday didn't satisfy Alaska Nanook coach Tavis MacMillan.

"You know, a long time ago I was advised don't worry about the results, worry about the process," he said. "We generated a lot of offense, but there wasn't very many results, which leads me to believe that right now we're offensively challenged."

How Alaska would do against the Mustangs was anyone's guess. While Western Ontario had competed against U.S. teams in past exhibitions, its league is Ontario University Athletics, part of the Canadian Sport System.

Once the puck hit the ice, the Nanooks knew they had a challenge.

"They did some things tonight that confused us on our power play and threw us a curveball," MacMillan said. "They're a good team."

Mustang senior center Ryan Hare scored the first goal toward the end of the first period.

A goal by Nanook center Dion Knelsen with an assist by junior leftwing Kyle Greentree stabilized the Nanook scorecard. Greentree scored the winning goal in the second period, with assists by Knelsen and captain Lucas Burnett.

"Eventually, when you generate enough chances, something's got to go in, and that's what we're looking to do," Burnett said.

The third period saw no scores and only 11 shot attempts by the 'Nooks, the fewest of the whole game. Meanwhile, Western Ontario increased its shots from five in the second period to 14, keeping Alaska goalie Wylie Rogers busy.

"I was disappointed third period," MacMillan said. "I thought we took some poundings that hurt us. I thought penalties hurt us. And fortunately, late in the game, I saw some courage and some desperation to certain degree with some guys lying down to take some shots."

Some of his team saw the same problem.

"What we've learned from this is, you can't get frustrated, can't get down on yourself, because the minute you start doing that, you just don't have a chance to score," Greentree said.

A goal attempt by junior leftwing Aaron Lee in the third period left many of the 3,320 attendees starring at the new jumbotron as video replayed three times of the possible score. But game officials didn't have instant replay, MacMillan said, and Lee's point was left off the scoreboard.

"That's a play to me that Aaron Lee will finish on," MacMillan said. "He'll score that goal. Nine times out of ten he'll score that goal. Maybe he did, but I don't know."

The night marked the Nanooks' first game at the Carlson Center this season. It also was Alaska's last chance at playing a team without having the scores count in conference play. The Nanooks lost Sept. 29 to the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 Team by 5-3.

"We're still getting the rust off," Greentree said. "Our line and the other lines aren't too worried about it, but we've got to start working hard in practice and figuring it out."

While offense may have been weak, MacMillan said major strides were made in defense, especially in the case of goalie Rogers.

"The great thing about Wiley is he keeps bouncing back after he has a poor performance," MacMillan said. "And I thought, after last weekend, Wiley really stepped forward and had a great game tonight. He played very well."

MacMillan said the team will focus on scoring goals this week in practice before facing-off against the Air Force Academy on Friday and Saturday.

"Next week is NCAA. Next week will count," he said. "So now we have to finish."