Beck's hat trick leads Nanook goal fest, hockey routs OSU 6-1

February 12, 2013

University Relations

Jamie Foland
907-474-6807

Colton Beck (Langley, B.C./Business Administration) recorded his first career hat trick to lead the Alaska Nanooks, who scored six unanswered goals, as they cruised to a 6-1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association victory against Ohio State Friday night at the Carlson Center.

The Nanooks improved to 13-10-4 overall with an 11-9-3-1 mark in CCHA play and leapfrogged the Buckeyes in the standings for sole possession of fifth place, while OSU dropped to sixth with a 11-12-6 overall and 10-7-4-1 conference mark.

Beck, who added an assist for a four-point outing, was named Perani Cup first star of the game and his linemate and fellow junior Cody Kunyk (Sherwood Park, AB/Business Administration) was the second star after tallying four helpers while senior Andy Taranto (Woodridge, Ill./Communication) was third star with the game-winning goal and an assist in the triumph, Alaska's third-straight at home in 2013.

The Buckeyes opened the game's offense with their lone goal at 6:35 of the first period, when Alex Szczechura scored his seventh goal of the year to make it 1-0 for the visitors with assistance from Max McCormick.

Beck answered for Alaska with his eighth goal of the season at 16:29 of the first period. Kunyk took a smart feed from Taranto in the right circle and completed the tic-tac-toe play by feeding Beck atop the crease, where he wristed the puck beneath OSU's Brady Hjelle to tie the game at 1-1.

Coming back for the second period Alaska's offense continued to click. Taranto potted his ninth tally of the year and the eventual game winner by banging in a Kunyk misfire past Buckeye goalie Brady Hjelle and into the back of the net. Hjelle stopped Kunyk's initial shot but couldn't control the rebound, which found its way to Taranto's stick just 56 seconds into the middle frame. Beck picked up his sixth assist of the season on the strike that made it 2-1.

A two-minute minor by Matt Johnson at 3:12 (elbowing) proved unsuccessful for the Nanooks, but just 20 seconds after their power-play chance expired Alaska sophomore Nolan Youngmun (Anchorage, Alaska/Petroleum Engineering) crashed the net and made it 3-1. Senior right wing Nik Yaremchuk (St. Albert, AB/Business Management) snuck the puck through a pair of defenders in the right circle and fed freshman Matt Friese just above the goal line. Friese fired a laser from the tough angle that Hjelle knocked down between his legs. Before the OSU goalie could cover it up, Youngmun raced in and jumped on the loose biscuit, pushing it and Hjelle over the goal line at 5:32 of the second stanza.

Alaska's fourth lamp-lighter was Beck's second of the game, which came at 11:22 of the second period, when Kunyk connected with Beck for a second time. Senior defenseman Kaare Odegard started the play from the point to notch is third assist of the year and stretch the Nanooks' lead to 4-1 at 10:22.

In an attempt to regain their composure the Buckeyes pulled Hjelle before the ensuing faceoff and replaced him, sending Colin Olson between the pipes.

It wasn't enough to slow the Nanooks momentum as Yaremchuk joined in on the goal fest, lighting the lamp at 2:17 of the third period with his sixth goal of the season. Team captain and senior center Adam Henderson (Whitehorse, YT/Masters of Business Management) helped out in the play as Alaska widened the gap to 5-1.

After seeing only one penalty called through the first 40 minutes the teams combined for five infractions good for 18 minutes in the final 2:30. Alaska freshmen Josh Atkinson (Spruce Grove, AB/Petroleum Engineering) and Tyler Morley (Burnaby, B.C./General Studies) were whistled for a pair of minors less than a minute apart, but OSU's Nick Oddo racked up two minors for slashing and unsportsmanlike conduct as well as a 10-minute misconduct at 18:02. The teams skated four-on-four for the remainder of Atkinson's tripping penalty, giving Beck the perfect chance to tickle the twine a third time.

Kunyk and rookie defenseman Richard Coyne (Cave Creek, Ariz./Business Administration) assisted on the play that made it 6-2 at 18:26 and completed Beck's hat trick. It was Kunyk's fourth assist of the game and 13 of the season and Coyne's first career point as a Nanook.

For the game, Alaska goalie John Keeney (Twin Peaks, Calif./Business Administration) made 19 saves as he improved to 9-6-3 on the year. Hjelle made 16 saves before he was pulled and Olson turned aside nine additional Nanook shots in relief of the OSU starter.

Alaska outshot their guests 31-20 and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill but scoreless in three man-advantage opportunities of their own.

The Nanooks will look to complete a series sweep when they face off against the Buckeyes on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. AKT for the series finale.