FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks hockey team kicks-off 2018 with a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series against the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers this Friday, Jan. 5 and Saturday, Jan. 6 at the Carlson Center. Puck-drop for both nights is scheduled for 7:07pm AKST.
Where to Watch & Listen
Fans who cannot make this weekend's games in Fairbanks can stream the games live on WCHA.tv, as well as every home and away contest for the remainder of the season. Additionally, longtime Nanook hockey commentator Bruce Cech will be broadcasting live from the Carlson Center this weekend on ESPN 820 AM Fairbanks or online at 820sports.com.
Military Ticket Promotions
For this weekend's conference series against the Chargers, all military personnel and their dependents can buy one ticket (general admission or reserved seating) and get one ticket free with a valid military ID.
WCHA Half-Season Packages Available
The WCHA announced that webstreaming packages are on sale for 50 percent off for the remainder of the season. Fans can purchase a league-wide half-season package for $64.99 that includes access to all remaining WCHA.tv games, including the entire 2018 WCHA Postseason Tournament. The WCHA is also offering a single-team, half-season package for $44.99 that includes access to all remaining WCHA.tv games for that team, including any potential games that the teams plays in the 2018 WCHA Postseason Tournament.
Last Time Out
The Alaska Nanooks hockey team concluded the first half of the 2017-18 season with a road sweep against in-state rival Alaska Anchorage on Dec. 8 and 9, defeating the Seawolves 7-2 on Friday before edging UAA 3-2 on Saturday for six WCHA points.
WCHA Standings
The Nanooks are currently sitting in eighth place in the WCHA standings with 17 points through 14 conference games. Alaska sit with a 5-8-1-1 mark in conference games with their WCHA victories coming against Bemidji State (Nov. 3), Northern Michigan (Nov. 18), Lake Superior State (Dec. 1) and Alaska Anchorage (Dec. 8-9).
#StickIt2Cancer
Last Saturday, the Alaska Nanooks announced that junior defenseman
Jack Weiss will miss the remainder of the 2017-18 season to undergo cancer treatment after being diagnosed with testicular cancer in early December. You can tweet the hashtag #StickIt2Cancer to support Jack and his family through this fight.
All-Time Series
The Alaska Nanooks lead the all-time series 21-8-2 over the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers and 12-4-0 in Fairbanks. The first meeting between the two teams came as a 10-6 win for the Nooks at home on Dec. 11, 1987, while the Chargers took the last meeting 4-1 in Fairbanks on Feb. 4, 2017.
Individually, 19 of Alaska's 27 skaters have faced UAH at least once in their careers with senior forward
Tayler Munson leading all Nanook players by registering 10 appearances against the Chargers. Munson leads his teammates in shots on goal with 24 and is tied for first amongst Alaska players in career points against UAH with junior forward
Chad Staley, both collecting five points. Staley, who has only played UAH on four occasions, has tallied three goals and two assists for five points, including two power play goals and one game-winner.
Familiar Foe
This weekend's opponent is a familiar one for first-year head coach
Lance West, as West faces his alma mater for the first time since taking over the program earlier this fall. West was a four-year letter winner as a forward at Alabama-Huntsville and also served as the team's captain his senior year. The Penticton, British Columbia native also served as the assistant coach for UAH for seven seasons (2000-07) before coming to the Alaska Nanooks prior to the 2008-09 season.
A New Hope
Sophomore forward
Kylar Hope continues to be an offensive threat for the Alaska Nanooks, registering eight goals and eight assists for a team-best 16 points. The Lashburn, Saskatchewan native has registered at least one point in seven of Alaska's last nine games, collecting two multi-point games and totaling five goals and four assists for nine points. Hope leads his teammates in goals (8), points (16), goals per games played (0.40), points per games played (0.80), plus (23), shots on goal (70) and shots on goal per games played (3.50).
Woods Leads the Nation
Redshirt-senior defenseman
Justin Woods is currently tied for first among all men's ice hockey NCAA Division I defensemen in goals with eight through 20 games played this season. Woods ranks first in the WCHA in goals (8), goals per games played (0.40) and goals per shots on goal (.163). Among his teammates, Woods leads the Nanooks in power play goals (2), power play assists (3), power play points (5) and is tied for first in game-winning goals (1).
Scouting the Opponent – Alabama-Huntsville
In the midst of a 12-straight games on the road (Dec. 1-Jan.13), the Chargers visit Alaska after dropping their last five WCHA contests. Last weekend, the Chargers fell 3-1 and 4-1 to the Bemidji Beavers and fell victim to the Minnesota State Mavericks before the holiday break. The Chargers are led offensively by senior forward Josh Kestner, whose 14 goals and four assists for 18 points leads his teammates throughout 22 games this season. On the back-end, senior goaltender Jordan Uhelski has appeared in 18 games between the pipes and tallied a .907 save percentage and 3.00 goals against average.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Hockey team page on Facebook.
#StickIt2Cancer
