FAIRBANKS—The Alaska Nanooks, after tying in overtime and losing in a shootout against Ohio State on Thursday, had hoped for a better result Friday against the Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio.

The Nanooks were instead walloped 6-0 after entering the finale of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association series in the Value City Arena with positive attitudes and in search of their first conference win of the season.

Half of Friday’s goals for the second-place Buckeyes came in the first period during a five-minute power play. Nanooks senior defenseman Scott Enders received a major for contact to the head and a game misconduct at 5:22 of the period, leaving Alaska minus a player for the rest of the contest.

“The guys came in today upbeat and they knew what we needed to do,” Nanooks head coach Dallas Ferguson said by cell phone while alluding to Thursday’s result.

“Up until that five-minute penalty, we were dominating the game and getting scoring opportunities,” Ferguson continued. “That penalty set the mood and the tempo for the rest of the game.”

Ferguson didn’t discuss the penalty much but said the Nanooks coaches ask their defensemen to step up and be physical.

“That’s what Scott did and their guy had his head down,” Ferguson said. “The guy was coming close down the wing and Scott stepped up to take away time and space. Scott Enders is not a player to go after people’s heads.”

Senior goaltender Scott Greenham registered 31 saves for the Nanooks (0-2-2-0 CCHA, 3-3-2 overall) in their first loss by a shutout since a 2-0 setback in a conference game at Michigan last Jan. 26. The loss ended Alaska’s eight-game unbeaten streak (5-0-3) against the Buckeyes.

Buckeyes senior center Danny Dries planted consecutive goals at 7:08 and 8:54 of the first and sophomore right wing Chris Crane got his first of two goals on Friday past Nanooks senior goaltender Scott Greenham at 9:35.

Freshman right wing Darik Angeli assured the Buckeyes (3-2-1-1, 4-3-1) of a 4-for-7 night on the power play with his deposit at 2:40 of the second period.

Sophomore right wing Alex Szczechura and Crane supported Cal Heeter’s fourth career shutout with third-period goals at 10:26 and 15:06, respectively. Heeter, a senior, stopped 27 shots Friday and denied eight Nanooks power plays, including a two-man advantage late in the third period.

Alaska got the 5-on-3 session after Buckeyes right wing Alex Carlson was whistled for tripping at 17:00 and freshman left wing Paul Kirtland, a former Fairbanks Ice Dog, followed 10 seconds later with a delay of game minor.

“On the power play, the name of the game is execution, and you have to be able to make passes,” Ferguson said. “They were getting blocks, we were not getting to the net or we were fanning on shots or going wide with them.”

The Nanooks play host to Miami (Ohio) at 7:05 p.m. next Friday and Saturday in the Carlson Center.