Fairbanks, Alaska --- Top-rated Minnesota State held a lead after two periods of play, but could not hold off the University of Alaska, falling to the Nanooks 2-1 in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association contest played in Fairbanks Saturday evening.

Playing shorthanded due to injuries taken Friday night by forwards Brett Knowles, Teddy Blueger and C.J. Franklin, the Mavericks lost for the first time this year when leading after two periods of play.

Neither team was able to find a way to score in the opening frame, but at 17:50 of the second period, senior defenseman Zach Palmquist converted on a power play chance when he to a pass from Jean-Paul Lafontaine before ripping a shot past Sean Cahill to make it a 1-0 Minnesota State lead.  The goal is the eighth of the year for the veteran blue liner.

Alaska responded early in the third period when Garrick Perry fired a shot from the slot past Stephon Williams to knot things up. The game-winning goal was scored at 18:35 when Tyler Morley deflected a shot from Zach Frye into the twine for his 13^th goal of the year.

Minnesota State, which converted on one-of-seven chances on the power play, were outshot by a 32-25 margin in the contest as junior netminder Stephon Williams now stands 19-4-2 for the year.
The Mavericks totaled 12 penalties for 32 minutes.  Alaska had nine penalties for 18 minutes.

The Mavericks are now 22-6-2 on the season (19-3-2 WCHA) with tonight's tie. Alaska stands 15-13-2 (10-12-2 WCHA).

Minnesota State is idle until Feb. 27-28 when it hosts Michigan Tech in the last regular season home games of the 2014-15 campaign.