Soldotna, Alaska | 12/04/21 | Isaac Smoldon
Just like earlier in the year, Anchorage is headed back from the Kenai Peninsula with 2 points. The Wolverines late empty net goal gave them a 5-3 win over the Kenai River Brown Bears on Saturday, as both teams skated away with a win on the weekend. Shane Soderwall of the Wolverines made 37 saves on the night, while Tommy Aitken of the Brown Bears stopped 29 of 33.
Once again it would be the Wolverines who struck first, with Clay Allen getting Anchorage on the board. Just like Friday however, Kenai would tie the game, with Gramm McCormack would firing a one-timer past Soderwall. The similarities to Friday night’s contest continued when both teams skated off the ice after 20 minutes with the score deadlocked at one tuck apiece.
The 2nd period would be where Anchorage established control over the contest. Danny Reis received a pass in the slot from Jackson Krock that he fired past Aitkens for his first goal of the season. Cameron Morris added a tally late in the frame, and the Wolverines would carry a two-goal lead into the 3rd.
Kenai would cut Anchorage’s lead in half when Cole Dubicki scored a shorthanded goal 2 minutes and 26 seconds into the final period. The Wolverines responded with a hard-working goal from in front of the Brown Bears net, as Collin Pederson banged home a rebound through Aitkens that gave his squad their two-goal lead back. Kenai wasn’t out of the contest yet however. With the net empty, Caden Triggs put Kenai back within one goal, off a tip in front of the Anchorage net. It wouldn’t be until the final three seconds of the contest that the Wolverines scored on the yawning Brown Bears goal frame, securing them a 5-3 victory.
While Anchorage was not able to gain any ground on the Midwest Division leaders, they did notch 2 more points in the Club 49 Cup. The Wolverines and Brown Bears play two more games against each other next weekend. Both game take place in Anchorage on the 10th and 11th, before the Wolverines travel to the Lower 48 in to late January. Tickets for the final two home games of the calendar year are available on the team website anchoragewolverines.com. They can also be purchased at the Ben Boeke doors starting at 6:30 PM AKST if the game is not sold out. Puck drop is 7PM AKST.
