UAF hockey falls at LSSU

Submitted by Dave Geringer
Phone: 6807
11/12/04

SAULT SAINTE MARIE, MI-Lake Superior State scored three goals within a span of two minutes and 36 seconds early in the second period, took a 4-0 lead and went on to a 6-2 victory over the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ hockey team at LSSU’s Taffy Abel Arena Friday night. The loss ended a three-game UAF winning streak.

Trent Campbell scored to make it 2-0, LSSU at 2:16 of the second period. Jeff Rainville followed with the first of his two goals two minutes and 24 seconds later, and Nathan Ward scored 12 seconds after that to make it 4-0, Lakers at the 4:52 mark of the second period.

The Nanooks fought back, getting a power play goal from senior right wing Jason Grinevitch (Glendon, AB/Drayton Valley-AJHL) at the 8:47 mark of the second period. Freshman center Ryan McLeod (Fernie, BC/Salmon Arm-BCHL) and senior center Jared Sylvestre (Bonnyville, AB/Bonnyville-AJHL) assisted on Grinevitch’s goal.

LSSU got the jump on UAF in the third period, getting goals from Jon Booras at the 5:01 mark and Rainville’s second goal of the game at 9:52 of the final period. Sylvestre scored a power play goal at 10:41 of the final period to cut the Lakers’ margin to 6-2. Grinevitch and senior defenseman Corbin Schmidt (Anchorage, AK/Tri-City-USHL) assisted.

Lake Superior outshot the Nanooks, 35-33. Starting goaltender Wylie Rogers (Fr. Fairbanks, AK/Victoria-BCHL), who was honored by both the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and United State College Hockey Online for his play last weekend, made 19 saves and surrendered the first three goals before he was replaced by senior Keith Bartusch (Graham, WA/Fairbanks-NPJHL). Junior right wing Kelly Czuy (Edmonton, AB/Canmore-AJHL), UAF’s leading scorer, was lost for the night when he received a major penalty and a game misconduct for checking from behind less than five minutes into the contest.

"Lake Superior State was the hungrier team tonight, they wanted it more than we did, and it showed,"? said UAF Head Coach Tavis MacMillan. "We just didn’t get it done. We definitely need a much better effort tomorrow night. If we come up with a better effort, the things that gave us trouble tonight will take care of themselves."?

Alaska Fairbanks fell to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in CCHA play with the defeat. LSSU improved to 2-5 and 2-3. The teams will conclude their two-game series tomorrow at 3:05 p.m. Alaska Standard Time.