BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Alaska Nanooks hockey team hits the road this week for a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series against the No. 16 Bowling Green Falcons this Friday, Feb. 15 and Saturday, Feb. 16. Both games will take place at the Slater Family Ice Arena in Bowling Green with puck-drop set for 3:37pm AKST on Friday and 3:07pm AKST on Saturday.
Where to Watch & Listen
Fans who cannot make this weekend's games in Fairbanks can stream the game live on FloHockey.tv, as well as every contest for the remainder of the 2018-19 season. Longtime Nanook hockey commentator Bruce Cech will be live from the Slater Family Arena on KSUA 91.5 FM in Fairbanks or anywhere online at ksuaradio.com in the link posted above.
Last Time Out
The Alaska Nanooks hockey team kicked-off the 2019 Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup last weekend with a two-game WCHA home series against in-state rival Alaska Anchorage. The Nanooks and the Seawolves split over the weekend with UAA taking Friday's game 4-1 before Alaska bounced back on Saturday for a 2-1 victory at the Carlson Center.
WCHA Standings
The Alaska Nanooks walked away with three WCHA points after last weekend's split with UAA, totaling 29 points through 22 conference contests this season. The Nooks hold sole possession of seventh place in the WCHA standings with a 9-12-1-1 mark in league matchups this season. The Nanooks' weekend opponent, Bowling Green, sits tied for second place in rankings with Northern Michigan, each with 43 points.
All-Time Series
This weekend's series marks the 70th and 71st all-time meeting between the two programs, respectively, with the first-ever game resulting in a 6-4 loss for the Nanooks on Dec. 27, 1987 on neutral ice. The Nanooks trail the all-time series 24-31-0 and are 9-15-6 against the Falcons on the road. In their last meeting at home, Alaska and Bowling Green split the weekend with the Nooks earning a 4-1 victory on Friday, Jan. 18 before falling 2-0 on Saturday, Jan. 19.
Second Half Push
The Alaska Nanooks hockey team has won five of their last seven games since Jan. 12, posting one more victory than they did throughout the fall semester. Since Jan. 1, Alaska is 5-5-0 and 3-1-0 on the road.
Leader of the Pack
Junior defenseman
Tristan Thompson continued his offensive efforts last weekend, posting the game-winning assist against UAA in Saturday's 2-1 victory. Thompson has registered seven points (one goal, six assists) in six games, dating back to Jan. 18. Of Thompson's seven points, three have been game-winning points, including two assists and one goal. The Canmore, Alberta native leads the Nanooks in scoring with a team-high 16 points, collecting five goals and 11 assists through 27 games.
Inching Toward 100
Four Alaska Nanooks are within 10 games of playing in 100 career games in the Blue and Gold, led by junior forward
Troy Van Tetering, who has dressed in 97 games throughout his three-year career. Fellow juniors
Kylar Hope (92),
Colton Leiter (94) and
Tristan Thompson (93) are on track to surpass 100 career games if Alaska makes the 2019 WCHA Playoffs and if they dress in each of those games. Seniors
Nikolas Koberstein (117),
Ryker Leer (120) and
Chad Staley (119) are the only active Nanooks to surpass the milestone.
Scouting the Opponent – Bowling Green
The Falcons were on the road last week, taking on the Northern Michigan Wildcats in a two-game conference series in Marquette, Michigan. Bowling Green earned a 3-2 overtime victory on Friday before falling 2-3 on Saturday. The Falcons are led by sophomore forward Brandon Kruse, who has tallied eight goals and 21 assists for 29 points in 29 games.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks hockey team page on Facebook.
