FAIRBANKS - The Nanooks are looking to expand on their series sweep of Alabama-Huntsville prior to the holiday break, as they host the Bulldogs of Ferris State for a New Year's weekend series in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play.
Alaska Game Notes
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Alaska has been idle since it defeated Alabama-Huntsville twice, on the weekend of Dec. 12-13, and head coach Dallas Ferguson knows that the key to this series is about getting back into midseason form.
"We've been off for a few weeks so the important part is getting our feet underneath us and getting better every shift," he stated. "We have to make sure that we play fundamental hockey and get back into 'game-mode.'
Practices have had a good pace and a good intensity, but nothing is game-like until you get into a game."
Coming into the weekend, the Nanooks boast the third-best power play in the league, converting 18.8% of their opportunities, while also contributing the second lowest total of penalty minutes in the league, at just 10.2 per game. Ferguson knows that Alaska's special teams will need to continue to be strong, if they are to have success in the second half of the season.
"The things that separate teams in this league are special teams and goaltending," said the head coach. "Through the last few games our goaltending has stabilized and our power play and penalty kill has had more of a positive impact on the game."
Davis Jones, who has started the last seven games for the Nanooks, has been strong in goal, earning his second and third shutout of the season against Northern Michigan and Alabama-Huntsville, respectively. In the sweep against the Chargers last time out, Jones saved 30 of the 31 shots he faced to record his sixth and seventh wins. Jones' .636 winning percentage is the fourth-best in the WCHA.
Alaska's opponents, Ferris State, come into the weekend having lost both games it played at the Great Lakes Invitational in Detroit, Mich. The Bulldogs fell to Michigan State, 2-0, on Dec. 28 before losing to Michigan Tech, 4-2, the following day.
Prior to those games, Ferris State defeated Lake Superior State twice, by respective scores of 5-2 and 5-0. The Bulldogs are no strangers to big wins, as they average 4.7 goals in games they've won, including a 10-2 win over Alaska Anchorage.
Despite having the second-worst power play in the league with just an 11.2% conversion rate, the Bulldogs rank third in the league with a 88.7% penalty kill. Much of their success comes thanks to their goaltender, C.J. Motte, who ranks amongst the WCHA leaders with an 1.81 goals against average and .935 save percentage.
Offensively, the Bulldogs are led by Matt Robertson, who is third in the league with 18 points, thanks to 14 assists. Chad McDonald has the team's highest goal tally, with eight.
"Ferris is a team that has always been quick in transition and good defensively. They have mobile defenseman and an All-American goaltender," said Ferguson. "Overall, their team game is something that stands out as they have good balance at both forward and defense."
Concluded Ferguson, "for us its always about getting better and being smart in the things we need to do, if we do that, play a transition game and funnel pucks to the net, we will have a successful weekend."
Alaska Notes
LAST TIME OUT
The Nanooks swept Alabama Huntsville over the weekend of December 12 and 13. Alaska won Friday's game by a score of 2-1 in overtime, thanks to goals by Alec Hajdukovich and Tayler Munson. The Chargers took a 1-0 lead in the second period, but Hajdukovich tied the game moments later, before Munson scored the deciding goal in overtime. On Saturday, Alaska dominated from the get-go and yielded a win with goals from Nolan Huysmans, Tyler Morley, Josh Atkinson and Marcus Basara.
LAST SEASON
Last year, the Nanooks and Bulldogs went 2-2 against each other, with Alaska beating then #4 ranked Ferris State twice at home. The Bulldogs took the first series sweep in late November, before Alaska won 4-1 and 5-3 at the Carlson Center.
SERIES HISTORY
After last season's split, the Nanooks hold a narrow 32-31-4 all-time series lead over the Bulldogs, as the two teams will face each other for the 68th and 69th times in their history.
FRIENDS BEFORE FOES
Ferris State's Sean O'Rourke won the 2011 NAHL Roberston Cup with current Nanooks, Alec Hajdukovich, Tayler Munson, Jared Linnell and Nick Hinz with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs.
GIANT SLAYERS
So far this season, the Nanooks have earned three wins over ranked opponents, as they defeated #2 Minnesota State, #19 Northern Michigan and #10 Wisconsin.
NO DECEMBER CHILLS
Alaska was red hot in the month of December, as it went 3-1-0 including an upset victory over #2 Minnesota State Mankato, in overtime.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Assistant captain Tyler Morley leads the team with 19 points and 13 assists, while also being ranked tied for second on the team with six goals. Morley's tallies have been crucial, as the Nanooks are 4-1 when the junior scores. Those marks also rank him amongst the WCHA leaders, as he is second in the league in points and third in assists.
YOUNG GUNS
Freshmen have accounted for 16 of Alaska's 51 total goals and 13 assists for this campaign. Leading the way are Austin Vieth with six goals and four goals for Tayler Munson and Peter Krieger. Vieth and Munson also lead the Nanooks with two game-winning goals, apiece. In addition, the Nanooks are 4-0-0 when Munson records a point.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nolan Huysmans is the reigning WCHA Offensive Player of the Week. Husymans had a three-point weekend (one goal, two assists), while factoring in both game-winning scores in Alaska's sweep of visiting Alabama Huntsville.
GOALS, GOALS, GOALS
The Nanooks are 7-1-0 when scoring 3 goals in games and are undefeated (6-0-0) when scoring four goals or more.
MORE OR LESS
Unsurprisingly, Alaska is 5-0-0 when allowing fewer than 20 shots in a game, but, paradoxically, the Nanooks have won both their games where they've allowed 40 shots on target.
ALL IMPORTANT FIRST GOAL
The Nanooks are 7-1-0 when scoring first this season.
