FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks hockey team (0-3-1 overall, 0-0-0-0 WCHA) returns to the 49th state for a rare home-and-home non-conference series with the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves this Friday, Oct. 20 and Saturday, Oct. 21. Alaska Anchorage will host the Nanooks at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage on Friday before Alaska hosts the Seawolves at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks on Saturday. Both games will count toward the Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup standings and are scheduled to start at 7:07pm AKDT.
Where to Watch & Listen
Fans who can't make this weekend's games in either Anchorage or Fairbanks can stream the games live on WCHA.tv, as well as every home game and Western Collegiate Hockey Association contests for the remainder of the season.
Additionally, longtime Nanook hockey commentator Bruce Cech will be broadcasting live from the Sullivan Arena and the Carlson Center this weekend on ESPN 820 AM Fairbanks or online at 820sports.com
Promotions
Alaska Nanooks fans are encouraged to participate in the "Blanket the Crowd Blue" night on Saturday versus the Seawolves and wear blue-colored clothing. Additionally, the first 500 people through the door on Saturday will receive a limited edition 2017-18 hockey poster.
Last Time Out
The Alaska Nanooks hit the road to face the now-No. 3-ranked St. Cloud Huskies in a two-game non-conference series at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, Minn. last weekend. Despite notching three goals in the first ten minutes of Friday's game, the Huskies stormed back to defeat the Nanooks 6-3. Saturday's game proved to be a battle, as the Nanooks dropped a heartbreaker in overtime 5-4.
All-Time Series
The Alaska Nanooks trail the Seawolves 62-89-12 in the rivals' all-time series records with the first meeting between the two teams coming as a 13-3 loss for the Nanooks on Nov. 16, 1979. In Anchorage, Alaska is 25-49-6 but at home in Fairbanks, the Nanooks are 37-40-6. The Nanooks are on a three-game winning streak over the Seawolves with their last contest coming as a 2-1 overtime win for the Nanooks on Feb. 25, 2017.
Individually, 21 of Alaska's 27-man roster have played in at least one game against the Seawolves throughout their career. Redshirt-senior defenseman
Justin Woods leads the group with 14 games against UAA and also has the most points against the Seawolves with four goals and three assists for seven points. Senior forward
Tayler Munson leads all Nanooks with two game-winning goals against the Seawolves, while Woods, sophomore forward
Troy Van Tetering and junior forward
Ryker Leer have each collected one game-winner against UAA.
Alaska Governor's Cup History
When it comes to the Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup, the Nanooks hold the all-time record over the Seawolves 12-8, winning consecutive titles in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 but vacated the 2010, 2011 and 2012 titles due to the NCAA infractions sanctioned prior to the 2014-15 season. The Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup first appeared during the 1993-94 season and has been determined by a shootout on eight different occasions.
The 2018 Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup will be determined by the following:
- The team with the most WCHA points at the end of the six-game series will be declared the Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup Champion. Although this weekend's series won't count as conference matches, points will be awarded as if it were a WCHA contest. A team that wins in regulation or 5-on-5 overtime receives three (3) points, while the losing team will receive zero (0). A team that wins in 3-on-3 overtime or a shootout receives two points (2), while the losing team receives one (1) point.
- Each game will be played to its conclusion via current NCAA and WCHA rules, to include a 3-on-3 overtime period and a sudden-death shootout if necessary.
- Should the series still be tied in points earned at the conclusion of game six, the game will proceed into the NCAA-approved shootout protocol. The shootout protocol calls for three shooters from each team, followed by sudden-death if necessary.
A New Hope
Sophomore forward
Kylar Hope recorded his first collegiate goal in Friday's loss then followed it up by registering a goal and an assist in Saturday's game to post his first multi-point game of his career and the season. Hope, who only produced two assists through the entire 2016-17 season, now leads all Alaska skaters in scoring with four points including two goals and two assists in four games. Hope is tied for ninth in the conference in scoring but is tied for first in the WCHA in shots on goal (20) and shots on goal per games played (5.00).
How Swede It Is
Sophomore goaltender
Anton Martinsson has now appeared in net for the Nanooks in four-straight games, collecting 112 saves on 126 shots for a save percentage of .889. In Friday's 6-3 loss to St. Cloud, the Klippan, Sweden native posted a career night, registering a personal-best 36 saves against the Huskies. Martinsson sat out for the entire 2016-17 season, making his collegiate debut on Friday, Oct. 6 against Air Force.
Century Men
Last weekend, redshirt-senior defenseman
Justin Woods appeared in his 100th and 101st career game donning the Alaska Nanooks sweater, joining fellow senior defenseman
Zach Frye, who crossed the 100-game threshold last season and currently sits at 105 career games. Fellow senior forward
Tayler Munson is closest to reaching the monumental mark with 98 career games, while senior forward
Austin Vieth is on his way with 84 appearances.
Scouting the Opponent – Alaska Anchorage Seawolves
Despite their record and like the Nanooks, the Seawolves gave the now-ranked No. 4 North Dakota Fighting Hawks all they could handle opening weekend, tying 1-1 in overtime on Friday, Oct. 6 before falling 3-2 in overtime on Saturday, Oct. 7. Last weekend, UAA fell victim to a road sweep at the hands of the Colorado College Tigers, 1-6 and 2-3. Senior goaltender Olivier Mantha has backstopped the Seawolves throughout the entire preseason, eventually becoming the all-time save leader in UAA history after facing Colorado College last weekend. Offensively, UAA is led by senior forward Austin Azurdia, who's registered three assists for three points in four game.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Hockey team page.
