FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks hockey team continues their four-game home-stand with a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series against the No. 8/6th-ranked Minnesota State Mankato Mavericks this Friday, Jan. 12 and Saturday, Jan. 13 at the Carlson Center. Puck-drop 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.
Family 4-Pack Ticketing Special
All weekend, the Alaska Nanooks Ticketing Office is offering the Family 4-Pack deal where fans can purchase four general admission tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks for only $50. Due to Ticketmaster fees at the door, fans will get the best bargain by coming to the Patty Center Ticketing Office (closes at 4pm AKST, Mon-Fri).
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.
Jersey Auction
The Alaska Nanooks will be wearing special fourth jerseys this weekend against Minnesota State, that are an homage to the Alaska sweaters from 1990-97. The Face-Off Club will be auctioning these special jerseys online later on this season.
#StickIt2Cancer
Alaska hockey junior defenseman
Jack Weiss will miss the remainder of the 2017-18 season after being diagnosed with testicular cancer in early December. Weiss has started to undergo chemotherapy treatment near his hometown of Bloomington, Minnesota and will continue to do so for nine weeks. If fans are interested in support Jack and his family through this fight, use the hashtag #StickIt2Cancer.
Last Time Out
The Alaska Nanooks hockey team kicked-off 2018 by splitting with the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers last Friday and Saturday at the Carlson Center. Sophomore forward
Ross Heidt and
Kyle Marino both tallied goals on Friday before senior defensemen
Zach Frye scored with 55 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Nooks a 3-2 victory on Friday. The Chargers responded on Saturday, as Alaska fell 3-1 with an empty-net goal.
WCHA Standings
Alaska now sits in seventh place in the WCHA standings with 20 points through 16 conference games. Alaska has registered a league record of 6-9-1-1 with WCHA victories coming against Bemidji State (Nov. 30), Northern Michigan (Nov. 18), Lake Superior State (Dec. 1), Alaska Anchorage (Dec. 8-9) and Alabama-Huntsville (Jan. 5). In a tight conference race, the Nooks are only one point behind sixth place's Alabama-Huntsville (21) and rank only one point ahead of eighth place's Ferris State (19).
All-Time Series
Alaska leads the all-time series against 14-8-2 over the Mavericks and are 9-2-0 in Fairbanks. The first meeting between the two teams came on Nov. 14, 1983, which resulted in an 8-2 win for the Nanooks at home. Last season, the Nanooks and the Mavs met on six different occasions with Alaska going 1-3-1-1 against Mankato. Alaska is currently on a two-game losing streak to Mankato, with the Mavs sealing the Nanooks' fate and kicking Alaska out of the 2017 WCHA Playoffs with a 4-1 loss on Mar. 4 on the road.
Individually, 19 of the Nanooks' 27 skaters have faced MSU on one-or-more occasion with senior forward
Austin Vieth leading his teammates with 11 career games against the Mavericks. Senior defensemen
Zach Frye, sophomore defensemen
Danny Kiraly, senior forward
Tayler Munson and sophomore forward
Ross Heidt lead all Alaska players in scoring against MSU, each registering four points against the Mavericks throughout their careers. Vieth and sophomore forward
Colton Leiter are the only active Alaska players to tally game-winning goals against the Mavs, each with one.
Alaska Leaders
The Nanooks are led offensively by The Nanooks are led offensively by sophomore forward
Kylar Hope and senior defenseman
Zach Frye, each with 16 points on the season. Hope ranks first on the team in shots on goal (72), shots on goal per games played (3.27) and is tied for first in goals (8), points (16), G/GP (0.36) and plus (23). The Lashburn, Saskatchewan native has registered four multi-point games this season and the Nooks are 5-5-2 when Hope ends up on the scoresheet.
Frye ranks first on the team I A/GP (0.57), P/GP (0.76), blocks (31) and is tied for first among his teammates in assists (12), points (16) and game-winning goals (1). Frye's 16 points ranks him fifth among league defensemen in points and the Spokane, Washington native ranks first among WCHA blue-liners in shots on goal per games played, averaging 3.05.
Woods Continues to Lead the Nation
Redshirt-senior defenseman
Justin Woods' eight goals this season ties him for first among all NCAA Division I defensemen in goals. Woods is tied for first on the Nanooks in goals (8), power play goals (2), power play assists (3), game-winning goals (1) and plus (23) and solely leads the team in power play points with five.
Sharing the Wealth
Of the Nanooks' 26 players that have appeared in at least one game this season, 23 have tallied at least one point, including sophomore goaltender
Anton Martinsson. Seven of those 26 skaters have registered double-digit points, including one freshman.
Lighting the Lamp
Despite ranking 35th in Division I men's ice hockey in points per game (7.73), Alaska has yet to be shutout this season. The Nooks have lit the lamp in each of their 22 contests this season and have scored more than one goal on 15 different occasions. Furthermore, the Nanooks have not been shutout since Mar. 3 at Minnesota State.
Scouting the Opponent - #8/6 Minnesota State Mankato
The Nooks will have their hands full with the Mavericks, as the No. 8/6th-ranked team in the nation continues their two-week road trip by concluding it in Fairbanks. Minnesota State currently sits in first place in the WCHA standings with 42 points after winning 14 of their 18 conference games this season. MSU has won seven of their last 10 games, with their last loss coming from the hands of Northern Michigan on Dec. 29 (4-3).
Individually, MSU's offense has been a powerhouse this season, as six of their players have registered 20-or-more points throughout 22 games this season. MSU is led by senior forward C.J. Suess, whose 13 goals and 16 assists total a league-leading 29 points. Suess is currently riding an eight-game point streak, which has included nine goals and four assists for 13 points and two game-winning goals. Between the pipes, senior goaltender Connor LaCouvee and Jason Pawloski have split time in the net with LaCouvee appearing in a team-high 13 games, totaling a .908 save percentage and 1.94 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
