FAIRBANKS – After digging themselves a big first-period hole, the Yukon nearly pulled off an improbable comeback in their semifinal game versus Alaska yesterday.

They would run out of time however, with the host team scoring an empty-net goal late in the contest to knock off the defending champions 8-6.

Alaska will go on to face N.W.T. for gold, while the Yukon will battle Nunavut for bronze.

An early goal by Jarrett Malchow put the Yukon ahead early, but shortly thereafter, Alaska scored four straight goals in a five-minute span to go up 4-1.

Coach John Grant elected to pull Brett Skookum after just nine shots, replacing him with backup Tomas Jirousek. The move appeared to spark the team.

From then on, it was the Wyatt Gale and Riley Pettitt show, with each forward recording six points in the game.

Gale would score four goals, one with just over a minute left to bring the score to 7-6.

However, an elbowing penalty was assessed to Yukon centre Kole Comin moments later, sealing the teamʼs fate.

"Itʼs a heartbreaker for sure,” Gale said. "I really thought we were going to tie it up there when we came back and scored with a minute left. It would have been nice to win, but it was a great comeback as well.”

Alex Hanson scored the Yukonʼs fifth goal.

Gale, Malchow and Hanson were teammates this season with the NEBC and Yukon District Trackers in Dawson Creek, B.C.

Late in the third, Pettitt hit the post while being hauled down on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot.

"I went down and decided I was going to do the same move, because I knew it worked on the goalie,” the 17-year-old centre said. "It worked, but I hit the post again and it bounced out.

"For everyone on the team, itʼs a real disappointing loss.”

Stoshi Skorulski scored a hat trick to lead Alaska – including the empty-net backbreaker with 33 seconds left.

"When it was 6-5, I was getting a little worried,” said the 16-year-old forward from North Pole, Alaska. "But then when Ross Hanson scored that shorthanded goal to make it 7-5, at that point it was good.”

Pettitt and Gale vowed to bring the same effort into the bronze medal game today as they attempt to secure a ulu for the territory.

"Weʼre going to come out hard,” Pettitt said. "Weʼre not going to give them anything and weʼre going to show them that we were meant to be in the gold-medal game.”

"We beat them 6-1 in the round robin,” Gale added. "Hopefully we can do that again and come home with a medal.”