Kunyk's overtime winner sends hockey past UAA, 2-1
March 4, 2013
Jamie Foland
907-474-6807
Junior forward Cody Kunyk (Sherwood Park, Alberta/Business administration) scored the game-winning goal 2:50 into overtime to lift Alaska to a 2-1 victory against Alaska Anchorage in game one of the 20th annual Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup Friday night at the Carlson Center.
The Nanooks (15-14-4, 12-13-3-1 CCHA) take the 1-0 lead in the two-game series and would capture their fourth consecutive cup title with a tie or win over the Seawolves (4-20-7, 2-18-6 WCHA) tomorrow night in Anchorage. The two will meet inside Sullivan Arena with the puck dropping at 7:07 p.m.
Aside from Kunyk's game winner, the Nanooks also saw their other goal come from sophomore left wing Garrick Perry (Apple Valley, Minn./Communication). Freshman goalkeeper John Keeney (Twin Peaks, Calif./Business administration) made 27 saves, including 14 in the third period, to improve his record to 11-9-3 between the pipes. Alaska outshot Anchorage 41-28 on net in the win.
For UAA, Chris Kamal dropped to 2-11-3 in goal this year despite making a game-high 39 stops on 41 shots faced. The Seawolves' lone goal came from Alex Gellert on a power play.
After a scoreless first period, the Nanooks lit the lamp first at the 17:31 mark of the second period. Working down low in the offensive zone, freshman forward Tyler Morley (Burnaby, British Columbia/General studies) passed the puck from the left side of the net and found a wide open Perry in front and his one-timer got past Kamal for his second career goal.
Into the third, Alaska maintained its 1-0 advantage but a Morley penalty gave UAA a power play it would not waste. Matt Bailey passed from a similar position of Alaska's first goal and Gellert's back-hand shot got past Keeney to tie it up at 12:48 of the third, giving the senior his sixth tally of the season.
The Nanooks had a chance in the closing moments of regulation when senior center Nik Yaremchuk (St. Albert, Alberta/Business management) took a shot on Kamal on a rush with just 17.8 seconds to go. Unfortunately, the referees blew the whistle before the puck crossed the line, which would send this one into overtime.
In the extra session, UAA fired the puck behind Alaska's net and senior defenseman Kaare Odegard (Red Deer, Alberta/Business finance) passed it up to junior left wing Colton Beck (Langley, British Columbia/Business administration), who played the puck off the wall down ice. Kunyk won the race for possession and he took it all the way as his wrist shot found the net to give Alaska the victory.
Tomorrow's Governor's Cup finale can be heard live on KCBF 820 AM.