Second Half Troubles Cost Anchorage

Mar 31, 2023

Anchorage, Alaska |3/31/23|Isaac Smoldon

The Anchorage Wolverines lost 6-3 against the Chippewa Steel on Friday night, in the first of a three-game series between the two teams. Shane Soderwall made 20 saves in the loss.

The 1st period started well for Anchorage, with Fedya Nikolayenya scoring after being sprung for an odd-man rush by Hayden Hennen. Chippewa doubled up the Wolverines in shots during the opening period, but Soderwall stood tall and made 12 saves on 12 shots to give his team a one-goal lead headed into the 2nd.

Both teams were much more offensively productive in the middle period, with Anchorage scoring a shorthanded goal under a minute in to go up by two, with Kyle Bauer capitalizing off a pass from Kade Shea. The Steel and the Wolverines then exchanged quick goals, with Aiden Westin scoring his 24th of the season keep the Wolverines up by two. Chippewa stormed out to their first lead of the game towards the end of the period however, with the visitors potting three unanswered to go up 4-3 before the start of the 3rd.

Anchorage wouldn’t fair much better in the final frame, with the Steel scoring late in the period to go up by two. An empty net goal iced to game, and Chippewa won by a final score of 6-3.

The Wolverines and Steel play twice more this weekend, Saturday at 7 p.m. AKDT and Sunday at 4 p.m. AKDT. Fans of the Wolverines under the age of 18 will be given free admission into the Ben Boeke on Sunday, with the organization asking fans in attendance that afternoon to wear orange in honor of Leukemia Awareness. Tickets for Saturday and Sunday can be found at tickets.anchoragewolverines.com. The live broadcast for the remaining two games will be available exclusively on HockeyTV.

For any questions or media availability, please contact Isaac Smoldon at live@anchoragewolverines.com.

The Anchorage Wolverines are a tier-II USA Hockey Jr. Hockey team competing in the North American Hockey League. The Wolverines are owned by Marissa Flannery and Aaron Schutt, Jena and Jay Frawner, and Kari and John Ellsworth, Jr.