Men's Ice Hockey | 2/9/2017 4:01:00 PM
MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Alaska Nanooks hockey team hits the road this week, taking on the Northern Michigan University Wildcats in a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series at the Berry Events Center on Friday, Feb. 10 and Saturday, Feb. 11. Puck-drop for both games is scheduled for 3:07pm AKST.
Last Time Out
The Alaska Nanooks earned three WCHA points against Alabama-Huntsville last weekend, defeating the Chargers 3-0 on Friday, Feb. 3 before falling 4-1 on Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Carlson Center. Friday's shutout by senior goaltender
Davis Jones was the St. Albert, Alberta native's fifth of his career and first for Alaska this season.
All-Time Series
The Nanooks trail the all-time series between Alaska and Northern Michigan 13-33-12, with the first meeting between the two teams coming as a 8-6 loss for the Nooks on Dec. 1, 1989. This weekend's two-game WCHA series will be the first meeting between the two teams for the 2016-17 season. The Nanooks and the Wildcats split in their last meeting, with Alaska winning 3-2 on Jan. 15, 2016 before falling 5-3 on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016 on the road.
WCHA Standings
After a three-point weekend at home against Huntsville, Alaska takes sole possession of fifth place in the conference standings with 30 points and a 8-11-3-3 mark in conference play. Alaska's weekend opponent, Northern Michigan, sits in ninth place with 25 points and a 7-12-3-1 conference mark. With eighth place being the final WCHA playoff spot, only three points separate fifth through eighth place, while only five points separate a post-season in general.
Spoiler Alert
Northern Michigan is currently on a seven-game unbeaten streak (5-0-2) is tied for the second-longest active run in the country. Since Jan. 7, the Wildcats have earned 18 league points and are only two points away from tying Alabama-Huntsville from the eighth and final playoff spot.
Alaska has handed two previously undefeated teams their first loss this season, including Minnesota State on Oct. 15 and Lake Superior State on Oct. 29.
Shutout Daver
Senior goaltender
Davis Jones backstopped the Nanooks to a three-point weekend, playing in both games against UAH and collecting 51 saves throughout the two-game series. Jones' shutout is the first of the season for the Nanooks and fifth of his career with the Nanooks. Jones has started between the pipes for Alaska in their last six games, helping the Nooks to a 3-2-1-1 record.
Alaska Leaders
Sophomore forward
Chad Staley posted a three-point weekend against the Chargers, including a goal and an assist on Friday and Alaska's lone tally on Saturday to total eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points in 28 games on the season. Staley now ties senior forward
Marcus Basara for the team-high in scoring.
Basara leads the team individually in goals per games played (0.31), points per games played (0.69) and shots on goal per games played (2.77), but shared the lead amongst his teammates in goals (8) and game-winning goals (2). Staley is tied for the team-high in goals (8) and power play goals (3).
Golden Frye
Junior defenseman
Zach Frye continues to be both an offensive threat for the Nanooks, while also being invaluable on the backend as the Spokane, Washington native ranks second on the team in points with 17. Frye also leads Alaska in assists (13), assists per games played (0.46), shots on goal (77), power play points (9) and power play assists (6) and is tied for first in power play goals (3).
The Call Up
Only four players on this year's roster have competed in all of Alaska's 28 games this season, two of which are rookies. Staley (8G, 10A) and Frye (4G, 13A) are joined by freshmen forwards
Troy Van Tetering (7G, 5A) and
Colton Leiter (6G, 4A).
Multi-Point Weekend
Staley wasn't the only Nanook to register a three-point weekend against UAH last Friday and Saturday, as junior forward
Tayler Munson posted three assists in the two-game series against the Chargers. Frye and freshman forward
Tyler Cline both collected two assists to join Staley and Munson for multi-point weekends.
Century Men
Basara (132), senior forward
Brandon Morley (131) and senior forward
Josh Erickson (117) are the only current Nanooks to play more than 100 career games in an Alaska sweater with Frye and redshirt-junior defenseman
Justin Woods creeping in to cross the threshold. Frye currently sits at 93 career games, while Woods is at 89.
Rookie Chip-In
Of Alaska's nine freshmen who have dressed this season, eight have registered at least on point. Six have recorded five-or-more points, while Leiter, Van Tetering and Cline being the only two skaters to pass the 10-point-or-more mark.
Scouting the Opponent – Northern Michigan
The Wildcats are currently on a seven-game unbeaten streak, earning 18 conference points since Jan. 7. NMU is led by goaltender Atte Tolvanen, who has allowed an NCAA-best 1.00 goals per game average over the last month. Sicne Jan. 7, Tolvanen has led the country with a 0.98 goals against average and a .966 save percentage (200-of-207). Additionally, Tolvanen has registered three-straight shutouts, while his scoreless streak stands at a school-record 215:42.
Northern's offense is led by senior forward Dominik Shine, who has tallied 16 goals and five assists for 21 points in 24 games. Junior forward Robbie Payne and senior forward Gerard Hanson have both also recorded over 20 points this season, Payne with 21 and Hanson with 20.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Hockey team page on Facebook.
