HUNTSVILLE | The University of Alabama in Huntsville hockey team opened its home slate with a dominant 5-1 win over Alaska Anchorage in the first game of the WCHA series on Friday night at the Von Braun Center. UAH improves to 3-6-0 (2-1-0 WCHA), while UAA dips to (1-7-1, 1-2-0 WCHA).
 
Turning Point
- Brennan Saulnier continued his torrid start to the 2017-18 campaign by scoring the Chargers first two goals – which would prove to be the difference – at 2:18 of the first followed by a goal at 4:52 of the second on the way to the 5-1 drubbing of the Seawolves.
 
Scoring Breakdown
- Saulnier put the Chargers on the board early with a power-play tally at 2:18 of the first period when he delivered a centering pass from Austin Beaulieu past UAA's Olivier Mantha. Both Austin Beaulieu and Kurt Gosselin had assists on the play.
- UAH would take its 1-0 lead into first intermission before Saulnier struck again at 4:52 of the second, thanks to a feed by Connor Wood which allowed Saulnier to create space in front of the crease.
- Alaska Anchorage found the scoreboard at 7:06 of the second to slim the UAH lead to 2-1, but UAH charged through the end of the second with tallies by Christian Rajic at 10:30 and Levi Wunder at 16:49 to put UAH ahead 4-1.
- The majority of the third period went scoreless until Madison Dunn scored on an empty Alaska Anchorage net at 18:08 for his first goal of the season.
 
Inside the Box Score
- The Chargers had a trio of players total two points in the win, including Saulnier (2g-0a), Wood (0g-2a) and Beaulieu (0g-2a).
- Nine different Chargers had at least a point.
- UAH dominated the shot on goal count in the contest with 40 shots on goal compared to UAA's 17 shots on target.
- Saulnier finished with a team-high seven shots on goal, followed by Gosselin with six.
- A total of nine UAH players had two or more shots on goal.
- The Chargers went 26-for-58 on face-offs.
- Jordan Uhelski improved to 3-4-0 in goal after totaling 16 saves and allowing just one goal.
- UAH went 1-for-4 on the power play while holding Alaska Anchorage to zero goals in two power-play chances.
 
Noteworthy
- UAH last scored five goals in a home-opener on Oct. 12, 2001 in a 6-1 win over Bentley.
- The Chargers back-to-back wins are the first this season.
- UAH's five goals are the most by the squad this season.
- Saulnier has scored four goals in the past three games, and is now the squad's offensive leader with eight points on six goals and two assists.
 
Next Time Out
- UAH and UAA wrap up the WCHA series on Saturday at 7:07 p.m. at the VBC.