Hockey claims fourth straight Governor's Cup
March 4, 2013
Jamie Foland
907-474-6807
A pair of goals by senior forward Andy Taranto (Woodridge, Ill./Communication) proved the difference in the contest as the Alaska Nanooks bested the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves 3-1 to sweep the season series and claim their fourth straight Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup on Saturday night at Sullivan Arena.
The Nanooks (16-14-4) won the cup for the 12th time in the 20-year history of the Governor's Cup while the Seawolves (4-21-7) got behind early and never recovered.
Junior left wing Colton Beck (Langley, BC/Business Administration) notched the Nanooks first goal of the evening and Taranto potted the next two before UAA responded with their lone tally in the second period. Freshman goalie John Keeney (Twin Peaks, Calif./Business Administration) made 19 saves in the win, his 12th of the year that improved the Nanooks to 16-14-4 on the season.
Alaska carried the momentum from Friday night's overtime win into the start of Game Two, scoring just nine seconds into the opening frame.
Junior center Cody Kunyk (Sherwood Park, AB/Business Administration) won the opening faceoff back to defenseman Colton Parayko (St. Albert, AB/Business Administration), who passed it up the right side to right wing to Taranto. The senior assistant captain found Beck inside the right defenseman in the slot, where he went top shelf to beat UAA goalie Chris Kamal at 00:09 of the first period.
It looked as though the score would hold as the end of the period drew near, but a last-second rush by the Blue and Gold doubled their advantage. Junior defenseman Michael Quinn (Surrey, BC) put the puck on Taranto's stick in the neutral zone and he passed it up to Beck on the left wing before crashing the net. Beck sent a perfect pass toward the crease and Taranto redirected the feed past Kamal at 19:57 to make it 2-0.
Taranto potted his second of the night 5:49 of the second period with assistance from Kunyk and sophomore defenseman Nolan Kaiser (Calgary, AB/Business Administration).
UAA responded with their only goal of the night 31 seconds later, when Bobby Murphy beat Keeney with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle at 6:20 to make it 3-1.
It looked as though the Nanooks had regained their three-goal lead at 12:13, but the would-be goal that came off Beck's stick from the left side of the crease was waived off. Taranto lost an edge and slid into the Seawolves' goal as the puck trickled behind the net. Kunyk picked it up and fed Beck at the left post where he tapped it past Kamal on his stick-side as Taranto was attempting to clear the cage and the crease.
For the game the Nanooks outshot the Seawolves 20-19, marking their second lowest shot count of the year and sixth time keeping an opponent under 20.
Alaska was scoreless on two power-play chances but four-of-four on the penalty kill. They have killed 23-of-24 penalties since Feb. 9.
The Blue and Gold return to Fairbanks, where they will host Michigan State for a Central Collegiate Hockey Association best-of-three first round playoff series (Mar. 8-10) at the Carlson Center. As is tradition the Nanooks playoff series will be a white-out and fans are encouraged to wear white. Friday and Saturday the games will be played at 7:05 p.m.