Second-period penalties the difference in Anchorage's win over Warriors

Merrimack started the period down 5-on-3 and had a major penalty later in the period

Photo: Tyler McMahon

NORTH ANDOVER — Alaska Anchorage beat Merrimack 3-1 on Saturday night at Lawler Arena to salvage a series split against the Warriors in the two-game weekend set.

After a scoreless first period, the Seawolves struck first on the power in the second period. As time expired in the first period, Ethan Bono and Luke Weilandt were called for separate penalties, which gave UAA a full two-minute 5-on-3 to start the second period. Ryan Johnson scored on the 5-on-3, giving the Seawolves the lead.

Anchorage doubled that lead in the second period when Max Helgeson tipped a point shot from JP Steele.

Early in the third period, Tyler Young scored Merrimack’s only goal of the game. Colby Enns took a shot from the point that deflected off a defender’s leg and fell right on Young’s stick for a quick shot.

To seal the game, Dylan Contreras scored an empty-net goal late in the third period.

Max Lundgren made 33 saves for the Warriors.

Here is everything you need to know from Anchorage’s win over Merrimack, including TMR insight and instant analysis:

Storylines

— Penalties were a problem for the Warriors, particularly in the second period. The Warriors were called for dual penalties at the end of the first period, which gave the Seawolves a two-minute 5-on-3 power play to begin the second period. That gave UAA all the momentum, and the Seawolves scored just 33 seconds into the second period for a 1-0 lead.

Later in the period, Ty Daneault was called for a kneeing major. UAA didn’t score on that power play, but it tilted the ice in their favor. On the back of the power play, the Seawolves outshot Merrimack 16-7 in the second period and had a 2-0 lead after Max Helgeson’s goal (at 5v5) late in the period.

“We started the second down 5-on-3 and gave up the goal,” said associate head coach Dan Jewell. “We just had to kill a lot of penalties in that second period. They really owned that period. We were able to generate some momentum in the first period, but the second period wasn’t our period, and they took it to us. We had about 10 minutes to kill in the second period, so that’s disappointing for sure.”

Merrimack’s penalty kill allowed the 5-on-3 goal but killed all 5-on-4 kills. The Warriors only allowed five shots on goal in almost 11 total minutes of PK time. But the time spent on the PK halted any attacking momentum.

“We’re a team that has to run on 5-on-5 momentum,” Jewell said. “It got broken up by penalties. We also had an inconsistent structure in the neutral zone at times. I think that hurt our ability to find 5-on-5 momentum. But really, the penalties were the biggest issue tonight.”

— Max Lundgren started for the Warriors and made 33 saves. Lundgren made several point-blank saves in the third period, when the Warriors were pressing trying to find the tying goal.

“Frankly, that could have been a lot different if not for Max,” Jewell said. “They got in behind us on a breakaway, and they generated a lot of chances. Max made some big saves. They had a few primetime shots in the slot. And those are things we just can’t give up. We can’t give up shots like that like, but he stopped most of them and gave us a chance to win, which is all we’re asking.”

Instant Analysis:

— I disagreed with the major penalty on Ty Daneault. Was it a penalty? Sure. I thought it was probably an interference minor or, as the rulebook allows, a kneeing minor, but it wasn’t a major.

Here’s the rule: