BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Nanook hockey team faces off against the Falcons of Bowling Green this weekend, looking to avenge a weekend sweep earlier this season, at the BGSU Ice Arena.
Both teams come into the game on a good run of form, as Alaska has won four straight games including back-to-back Western Collegiate Hockey Association sweeps (Alabama-Huntsville and Ferris State) while Bowling Green is currently ranked #11 in the latest USCHO.com poll.
The contests on both Friday and Saturday will begin at 3:07 AKST. As always, you can watch every Nanook game live HERE with a purchase of a wcha.tv subscription. Also, FOX 7 will be providing Saturday's game on a tape delay, directly after the Carolina at Seattle NFL Playoff Game.
Bruce Cech will be calling both games, live, for KCBF 820 AM Sports.
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LAST TIME OUT
The Nanooks swept Ferris State over the weekend of January 2 and 3. Alaska won on Friday, 2-1, in a come-from-behind victory over the Bulldogs. Josh Erickson and Peter Krieger scored for the Nanooks. On Saturday, Alaska dominated from the beginning earning a 6-0 win and back-to-back WCHA sweeps. Marcus Basara, Garrick Perry, Tayler Munson, Nolan Kaiser, Erickson and Zach Frye were all on the scoresheet.
LAST MEETING
Bowling Green and Alaska have already met this seaosn, with the Falcons sweeping the Nanooks back in early November. Bowling Green took both games, on the road, by a score of 3-2. Tyler Morley scored twice in game two after his brother, Brandon, and Colton Parayko scored on Friday.
SERIES HISTORY
After being swept earlier this season, Alaska holds a slim 26-25-6 all-time series lead over the Falcons, with this weekend representing the 58th and 59th times the two programs will meet. Nothing separates the two sides in Bowling Green, as both teams are 12-12-3 against each other at BGSU Ice Arena. Recently, however, Alaska is 0-5-2 against BGSU.
GIANT SLAYERS
Alaska will not back down from Bowling Green's #11 national ranking. 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.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING!
Alaska takes a four-game winning streak on the road this weekend, looking to match a season high five game winning streak it had to start the season. Last campaign, the Nanooks won seven games in a row from Jan. 31-March 7.
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES'
Sophomore goaltender Davis Jones recorded his fourth shutout of the season in Alaska's 6-0 win on Saturday against Ferris State, a mark that has him tied for the NCAA lead. Previous shutouts for Jones came against Alabama Huntsville (Dec. 13), Northern Michigan (Nov. 28) and Wisconsin (Oct. 10). Jones is fourth in the WCHA in winnings percentage after he won his ninth game this year and is sixth in goals against average (2.31).
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
With his performance last weekend, Jones was named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week. He stopped 47 of 48 shots including all 26 he faced on Saturday.
POWER POINT
Junior captain Colton Paryako is tied for the league lead with four power play goals and is second amongst scoring defensemen with 15 points (four goals and 11 assists already this season). Alaska has won every game that Parayko has scored in (4-0-0).
THREE'S COMPANY
The Nanooks' top line of Tyler Morley, Marcus Basara and Garrick Perry have recorded 48 points (18 goals and 30 assists), accounting for 30% of the team's offense. T. Morley is second in the WCHA in points (20) and third in assists (14) while Basara is third in the league with nine goals.
COMEBACK KIDS
Half of Alaska's wins (six) have come after recovering from losing positions, including two on the current winning streak and three of its last five victories. The comeback wins include Ferris, Alabama Huntsville, Minnesota State, Air Force, Penn State and Maine.
