The Nanooks suffered defeats by No. 1 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish last weekend.

UAF lost 0-1 on Friday and 2-3 on Saturday.

"We're the best 190 foot team in the league," said assistant coach Wade Klippenstein. "It's (just) that 10 feet around the net that we need to be better."

Both games were set out to be a challenge for the 'Nooks, but Fridays game in particular presented a unique challenge in the form of what some fans saw as terrible calls by the referees.

"I think the game was altered, but I don't think the teams had anything to do with that," said head coach Tavis MacMillan.

Friday's game started off with a sour note when a save by goalie Wylie Rogers was called into questioned in the first 45 seconds.

The review was determined to be the original call of no goal and the game was allowed to continue.

First period was marked by even shots on goal of 9-9 and fast game play only broken by several penalties.

The 'Nooks had an opportunity of a five-on-three power play for a full minute but just couldn't seem the get the circle in the box.

The second period faired about the same with even penalties of three to three and shot on goal opportunities of 13 to Notre Dames' six.

It wasn't until the third period that things heated up. The Fighting Irish's Ryan Thang scored a goal on one-on-one against Rogers after a turnover mistake by the 'Nooks.

But UAF was still hungry for a win and played aggressively for the remainder of the game, with a five minute game misconduct by Nathan Fornataro, a slashing call on Aaron Lee and fighting after the whistle by Darcy Campbell in the game's last four minutes. The benches were comically packed three wide and two wide in the Irish's penalty box.

The Carlson Center erupted in boos after what many saw as a flagrant false charge of goaltending against Lucas Burnett. The senior center skated up fast against the goal post on the right side of the goalie and may have barely touched the goalie or post.

Usually this is seen as normal game play. But two Notre Dame players flew into the goalie and goalpost on the goalie's left side, causing the goal to become dislodged and forced a reset and face-off. The referee felt Burnett was at fault and gave him the penalty.

"Lucas Burnett hit the goalie? No way," MacMillan said post-game, shaking his head.

Still stinging from Friday nights loss of 0-1 the 'Nooks played with renewed vigor that could be visibly seen in the players on the ice.

But the Fighting Irish were not about to start giving up goals and enlisted Anchorage-raised Jordan Pearce as their goalie, replacing David Brown.

Fans saw incredible saves in the game's first half including a block by Wylie Rogers after his stick had broke around the halfway point. The 'Nooks then managed to hold off the Fighting Irish until the second period in which Notre Dame's Erik Condra managed a goal at the 11:31 mark. That popped the game into a full battle 0-1.

Answering back soon after during a Notre Dame power play, Kyle Greentree pushed in a goal on the left pocket after receiving a strong right bound attack from Braden Walls and an assist by T.J. Campbell, tying the game 1-1. But little more than a minute later Notre Dame's Garrett Regan brought the score 2-1 and ended the period the same.

The third period was very defensive on both teams' parts as there were no penalties of any kind until the last eight minutes.

The 'Nooks squandered another five-on-three power play but immediately after sophomore Trevor Hyatt with assist by Jeff Lee and Burnett managed to score a goal in the closing minutes forcing an overtime 2-2.

Overtime didn't favor the 'Nooks however as they lost to Regan's second goal with assist by Mark Van Guilder and Wes O'Neill ending the game 3-2.

The Nanooks next face the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks on Thursday and Saturday at the Carlson Center.