Feb. 3, 2006

Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio - A trio of first period goals by Alaska Fairbanks propelled the visiting Nanooks (11-12-4, 7-11-3 CCHA) to a 4-3 victory over the Miami RedHawks (19-5-4, 16-4-2 CCHA) on Friday night.

A fluky bounce off the boards behind the Miami net staked UAF to a 1-0 lead just 1:13 into the first period. After the puck was dumped into the Miami zone it caromed off the end wall at an awkward angle and trickled into the crease where it bounced off a Miami defender and into the net. The goal was credited to Lucas Barnett.

The Nanooks capitalized on a five-on-three power-play at 5:36 of the first and took a 2-0 lead when Curtis Fraser picked up the rebound of a shot by Darcy Campbell and tucked it pasr Miami netminder Charlie Effinger (Belleville, Ill.).

Another UAF power play left the RedHawks in a 3-0 hole at the 15:41 mark of the first period. With sophomore Mitch Ganzak (Canton, Mich.) in the penalty box for tripping and the Nanooks enjoying a four-on-three advantage, Kyle Greentree one-timed a pass between Effinger and the glove-side post from the right dot.

Miami responded with a power-play tally of its own at 16:42 of the first with sophomore Nathan Davis' (Rocky River, Ohio) team-leading 14th goal of the season. Junior Geoff Smith (Toronto, Ontario) started the play with a pass to sophomore Nino Musitelli (Macomb, Mich.), who was streaking into the UAF zone down the leftwing boards. With Davis crashing hard to the net, Musitelli fired a shot on goal that was saved by Wylie Rogers, but the ensuing rebound landed right on Davis' stick and he deposited it into the open cage.

Senior Matt Davis (Rocky River, Ohio) cut UAF's lead to 3-2 just 1:14 into the second period with his 14th goal of the season, a shorthanded marker that tied him with his brother Nathan for the team lead. The elder Davis created his own scoring opportunity as he intercepted a pass across the top of the Nanook zone. After chipping the puck into the neutral zone, Davis skated in alone and made a strong move to his forehand before beating Rogers between his legs.

At 5:26 of the second, Miami knotted the game, 3-3, as sophomore Ryan Jones (Chatham, Ontario) fought off two UAF defenders in the slot and hammered home the rebound of Nathan Davis' shot from the top of the left circle. The second assist on Jones' 13th lamplighter of the season went to Ganzak, who set up the play with a pass to Ganzak from below the left circle.

A turnover by Miami just inside its own zone led to a 4-3 UAF lead at 12:31 of the third period. Barnett picked up the loose puck inside the Miami blueline and fed Ryan Muspratt, who skated in alone and beat Effinger with his fourth goal of the season.

Miami outshot UAF 44-26 and went 1-for-5 on the power play. The Nanooks were 2-for-5 with a man-advantage.

The RedHawks and Nanooks wrap up the two-game series on Saturday night at 7:35 p.m. The game will be televised live on Time Warner Television channel 25 in Oxford and on digital channel 99 in the Dayton and Cincinnati markets.

NOTES: Brothers Matt and Nathan Davis have scored in the same game five times this season ... Miami had its streak of 27 consecutive games without allowing more than three goals snapped ... Miami removed Effinger from the net with 59 seconds to play.

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