FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- The Western Michigan hockey season came to an end after a 4-1 playoff loss to Alaska Fairbanks in front of 2,459 fans at the Carlson Center on Saturday night.
Alaska got the jump on WMU just 1:02 into the first period. Derek Klassen was waiting unmarked in the slot and got a pass from Kevin Petovello. Klassen fired the puck past WMU goalie
Riley Gill's stick side for his sixth of the year. Petovello picked up his fourth assist of the season and third point of the series as Alaska took a very early 1-0 lead.
The Broncos responded with their first goal of the series after a turnover deep behind the Alaska goal-line.
Greg Squires forced the turnover and picked up the puck as
Ryan Watson was cutting through the slot. The junior centerman skated right through the slot and fired it past Nanook goalie Scott Greenham's stick side for his second of the year. Squires notched his 20th assist of the season as WMU tied the game 1-1.
Alaska took a 2-1 lead with 2:39 remaining in the first period after a puck deflected off of WMU's
Ian Slater and past Gill. Nik Yaremchuck fired a puck into a crowd and it banked off of Slater's leg and past Gill for his seventh goal of the season.
Alaska extended the lead to 3-1 with 4:32 remaining in the second period on a power play goal by Dion Knelsen. The Nanooks were cycling the puck during the man advantage and Aaron Gens got the puck to Knelsen just above the right circle as he fired his blast.
Alaska pushed the lead to 4-1 less than a minute later after a Bronco turnover in the WMU zone. Andy Taranto found the puck and pushed it between Gill's legs. The goal for the CCHA's top scoring freshman was the 17th on the season for him.
The Broncos closed the shot gap and at one point during the second period were out-shooting the Nanooks. Watson had four shots on goal in the period, but WMU was unable to get anything past Greenham as he made 14 saves in the period.
Gill made 36 saves in his final game as a Bronco and neither team was able to add to the tally in the third period.
