BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Alaska Nanooks hockey team continues their two-week road trip this week with a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series against the Bemidji State University Beavers this Thursday, Feb. 15 and Friday, Feb. 16 at the Sanford Center in Bemidji. Puck-drop for both nights is scheduled for 4:07pm AKST.
Where to Watch & Listen
Fans who can't make this weekend's games in Bemidji can stream the games live on WCHA.tv, as well as every home and away contest for the remainder of the season. Additionally, for fans in Fairbanks, this weekend's games will also be broadcasted live on KFXF Channel 7 at 4:07pm AKST. Longtime Nanook hockey commentator Bruce Cech will be live from the Sanford Center on ESPN 820 AM Fairbanks or online 820sports.com.
#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 suffered a WCHA sweep on the road last weekend, falling to the now-No. 17th ranked Northern Michigan Wildcats 2-1 in overtime on Friday before dropping Saturday's contest 4-1 at the Barry Events Center in Marquette, Michigan.
WCHA Standings
In a tight battle for playoff spots, Alaska received no points over the weekend against NMU and remains in seventh place in the conference standings with a 9-14-1-1 WCHA record, earning 29 points through 24 games. In a race to the postseason, only four points differentiate sixth through ninth place.
All-Time Series
The Alaska Nanooks are 4-11-2 all-time against the Beavers and 2-6-1 against BSU in Bemidji. This weekend's series will be the 18th and 19th meeting between the two programs, with the Nanooks splitting against the Beavers in Fairbanks earlier this season with a 4-3 overtime win on Nov. 3 before falling 3-2 on Nov. 4 at the Carl. The first meeting between the two teams came as a 0-12 loss for the Nanooks on Jan. 3, 1982.
Of Alaska's 27-man roster, 24 active Nanooks have played in at least one game against Bemidji with redshirt-senior defenseman
Justin Woods making the most appearances with 12. Woods and fellow senior defenseman
Zach Frye has registered a team-high 16 shots on goal against the Beavers but it's Frye who leads the charge offensively, as the Spokane, Washington native currently has two goals and five assists for seven points all-time against BSU.
Frye Streaking
Senior defenseman
Zach Frye continues to be a force defensively and offensively, as the Spokane, Washington native leads his team and ranks fourth among WCHA blueliners in points with 27. Frye leads all conference defensemen in goals per games played (0.28), shots on goal (91) and shots on goal per games played (3.14). Amongst his teammates, Frye leads the Nanooks in assists (19), points (27), A/GP (0.66), P/GP (0.93), PPG (3), PPP (6), GWG (2), plus (29), SOG, SOG/GP and blocks (47).
Frye is currently riding a six-game point streak, registering two goals and seven assists for nine points since Jan. 19 against Michigan Tech. Furthermore, since Jan. 5, Frye has posted at least one point in nine of Alaska's last 10 contests, including five power play points (3G, 2A), four multi-point games and three game-winning points including two GWGs.
Higher & Higher
Sophomore forward
Kylar Hope (8G, 12A) and rookie forward
Steven Jandric (2G, 18A) are the only other Alaska players to have registered 20-or-more points this season. Among WCHA rookies, Jandric ranks fifth with 20 points and leads the conference newcomers in plus (27) and plus/minus (+11). Last season only two Alaska players, junior forward
Chad Staley (21 points) and Frye (20 points) surpassed the 20-or-more point mark. Hope has now decupled his offensive outputs from 2016-17, only tallying two assists through 30 games.
Lighting the Lamp
Senior forward
Tayler Munson has officially turned the scoring faucet on. The Fairbanks, Alaska native has now registered at least one goal in four of Alaska's last five contests, totaling five goals since Jan. 20 vs. Michigan Tech. Prior to Jan. 20, Munson had only scored two goals (Jan. 12 and Nov. 11) this season.
Scouting the Opponent – Bemidji State
The Bemidji State Beavers are currently sitting in fourth place in the conference standings with a 12-8-4-2 mark in WCHA games for 42 points. Last weekend, Bemidji split against Michigan Tech in Houghton, posting a 4-2 win on Friday before falling 5-1 on Saturday. Offensively, Bemidji is led by senior forward Kyle Bauman, who has tallied nine goals and 18 assists for a team-best 27 points. Between the pipes, senior goaltender Michael Bitzer has backstopped the Beavers in 31 contests, posting a 15-10-6 record, a .908 save percentage and a 2.20 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.
