MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Nanooks hockey team is in Minneapolis, Minn. for a matchup with the Minnesota Gophers. The two will play on Jan. 14-15 at 3M Arena at Mariucci. 

Friday, Jan. 14, 2022 at Minnesota
Live Video >> https://www.bigtenplus.com/en-int/playerpage/1169731
Live Stats >> https://gophersports.com/sidearmstats/mhockey/summary
Listen Live >> KSUA 91.5 FM (ksuaradio.com)
Minneapolis, Minn., 3M Arena at Mariucci, 3:00 p.m. AKT

Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022 at Minnesota
Live Video >> https://www.bigtenplus.com/en-int/playerpage/1169995
Live Stats >> https://gophersports.com/sidearmstats/mhockey/summary
Listen Live >> KSUA 91.5 FM (ksuaradio.com)
Minneapolis, Minn., 3M Arena at Mariucci, 3:00 p.m. AKT

Last Time Out
The Nanooks are coming off of a series-split with Maine in Orono, Maine. Their first time in Maine in nearly 30 years, the Nanooks took the win 6-2 on night one before falling to the Black Bears on night two, 4-2.

On night one; Brady Risk started the scoring for the Nanooks 11:04 into the opening-period. Just when it looked like the Nanooks would take a 1-0 lead into the intermission, Maine went on the power play and capitalized with 59.2 seconds left on the clock. Adam Dawe scored for the Black Bears. After taking the tie into the locker room, Risk came back on the ice and grabbed the lead back 24 seconds into the second. Just under two and a half minutes later, Risk struck again. This time off of passes from Filip Fornaa Svensson and Henbrandt and secured his first-career collegiate hat-trick. This is the Nanooks first hat-trick since Steven Jandric on Feb. 28, 2020 against Alaska Anchorage. Risk's goal-scoring was over there, but the Nanooks had more in them during the second period. Under two minutes later, while on a two-on-one, Payton Matsui went top-shelf off a Matt Koethe pass for his first-career goal to make it 4-1 Nanooks. 10 minutes later, Fornaa Svensson added his own goal, skating from behind the net to out front, turning and firing one into the back of the net, extending the Nanooks lead to 5-1. Henbrant and Risk were awarded assists, that being Henbrant's third and Risk's first and fourth point of the night, becoming the first Nanook to score four points in a game since Max Newton on Feb. 7, 2020 at Alabama Huntsville. Simon Falk added the final goal for Alaska. Edward Lindelow added a goal midway through the third, making it 6-2 for the final. Gustavs Davis Grigals had another strong night in goal for the Nanooks as the junior netminder posted 35 saves on 37 shots-on-goal. He stopped nine shots in the first, 16 in the second and 12 in the third for a save percentage of .949. 

On night two, Grigals posted 40 saves, but it wasn't enough as the Nanooks saw their early 2-0 lead fall by the wayside. Maine scored four unanswered goals to take the win 4-2. Jakob Breault and Didrik Henbrant scored the two goals. Breault found the back of the net on the power play 16 seconds into the second period and Henbrant followed up eight minutes later but the Nanooks allowed four straight to leave Maine with a split.

Quick Hitters

• BRADY RISK and GUSTAVS DAVIS GRIGALS are the Nanooks nominations for the 2022 Hobey Baker Award, awarded to the top hockey player in the NCAA each year. 
• RISK currently leads the Nanooks in all major categories. He is the leader in points with 19 through 20 games. He is the team-leader in goals scored with eight and leads the way with 11 assists. His 19 points is sixth-most among freshman in NCAA DI. 
• He is currently riding a six-game scoring-streak. Over that span, Risk has scored six goals and tallied six assists for 12 points over six games. 
• GRIGALS is the top-dog in net for Alaska. The junior goalie from Riga, Latvia also earned a Hobey Baker nomination for his consistent play in net. He has starte 17 games and is allowing an average of 2.62 goals per game. He is also saving .913% of shots-on-goal by opponenets. Grigals over the last four games has made 31, 43, 37 and 40 saves. The first time in his career he has made 30+ saves in a game over the stretch of three or more games. 
• FILIP FORNAA SVENSSON is second on the team in assists as the forward from Linkoping, Sweden has tallied 10 on the year. He has added four goals and is riding a three-game streak for scoring points. He picked up a multipoint game in night one of the Maine series, scoring a goal and assisting on another. He followed up with another assist on night two. 
• DIDRIK HENBRANT posted a three-assist night on night one at Maine. A new career-high for points in a game and assists. He now has five goals and six assists, doubling his assists total in one night. He tallied his fifth goal of the season on night two of the Maine series, giving the Nanooks a 2-0 lead at the time.
• RISK enjoys being on the man-advantage. He has capitalized for eight points while on the power-play. Two goals and six assists leads the way for the Nanooks. FORNAA SVENSSON and PYKE are next in line, both with six as FORNAA SVENSSON has two goals and four assists. PYKE has the same, two goals and our assists.
• As a team, the Nanooks upped their scoring average to 2.10 goals per game. They used a season-high six goals at Maine to elevate their numbers. Alaska's second-period play continues to highlight their offense as they've now tallied 22 middle-stanza goals compared to seven in the first and 13 in the second.
• The Nanooks have scored twice while shorthanded, they are one of 30 teams with more than one shorty on the season.

Meet the Opponents

• Minnesota enters this weekend ranked #8 in the USCHO Poll and USA Hockey Poll. They come in at #8 in the Pairwise Rankings as well. 
• The Gophers are currently 12-8-0, 8-4-0 Big Ten and are coming off of a sweep at Michigan State. They beat the Spartans 4-1 and 6-3 extending their current winning-streak to four games. Three games against NCAA teams along with a win over the US National U18 team.
• This matchup with Alaska is rescheduled from their original dates of Oct. 2-3, 2021. That series was postponed until this weekend due to COVID-19 safety concerns in the Alaska program. 
• At Michigan State, Minnesota was led by BEN MEYERS in game one, as he scored two goals for the 4-1 win. He added an assist for a three-point night. In game two, Minnesota won 6-3 behind two goals from MEYERS, once again. BRYCE BRODZINKSI added two assists and JAX PERBIX posted two points on one goal and one assist. 
• BEN MEYERS is the leading-scorer for the Gophers with 23 points, 22nd most in NCAA DI. He's tallied nine goals and 14 assists. 
• On Jan. 10, 2022 JACK LAFONTAINE left the Gophers program to sign an NHL level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. This leaves the Gophers with JUSTEN CLOSE and BRENNAN BOYNTON as the only two goalies on their current roster. CLOSE has seen time in only two games this season while BOYNTON has seen no time in net. 
• The Gophers are led by BOB MOTZKO. He is in his fourth season as the bench boss of the Gopher after spending 13 seasons at St. Cloud State. Under MOTZKO, SCSU went to eight NCAA tournaments including a Frozen Four run in 2013. Prior to St. Cloud State he previously coached at Miami (Ohio) and Denver. He graduated from SCSU in 1987 as a two-time men's hockey letter winner. He was the 2020 Big Ten Coach of the Year. 
• Minnesota as a team has scored 71 goals while allowing only 53. The Gophers like to score early and often, scoring 22 first period goals compared to allowing 16 to opponents this season. In the third, Minnesota does the most damage, scoring 27 final period goals compared to 17 from opponents. 
• 14 of the Gophers goals have come on the man-advantage, converting 23% of their power-play opportunities. They've scored one shorthanded goal and four empty-net goals.
• MATTHEW KNIES leads the way on the power play for Minnesota as #89 has tallied six points while up a man, two goals and four assists. GRANT CRUIKSHANK score the lone-shorthanded goal for the Gophers this season. 
• The Gophers have eight players with 10+ blocks on the season and four with 20+. In the 20's, Minnesota has JACKSON LACOMBE leading the way with 24, RYAN JOHNSON with 22 and BROCK FABER and BEN BRINKMAN with 20 a piece. 
• This is the first time Minnesota and Alaska have faced-off in Minnesota since Oct. 14-15, 2005. The Nanooks won the first matchup on Oct. 14 with a 4-3 OT win before tying on night two, 3-3 OT. This is the first matchup since Oct. 9, 2016 when Minnesota beat the Nanooks 6-3 in a neutral site matchup in Anchorage.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Twitter or Instagram, or like the Alaska Nanooks Hockey team page on Facebook.