FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks hockey team is back in the Carlson Center this Friday and Saturday as they take on the UNLV Rebels and Briercrest Clippers in a pair of exhibition games.
Friday, Sept. 26
vs. UNLV | 7:07 p.m.
Fairbanks | Carlson Center
Saturday, Sept. 27
vs. Briercrest | 7:07 p.m.
Fairbanks | Carlson Center
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Last Time Out
The Nanooks gave Fairbanks their first glimpse of action last weekend at the Patty Ice Arena as they hosted their annual Blue/Gold game. Gold came out on top, 2-1 with
Tommy Cronin scoring the game-winner.
Beau Courtney picked up a PPG to open the scoring for Gold before
Michael Citara got Blue on the board.
Go with the Flo
The Nanooks signed a three-year extension of its media rights partnership with FloHockey on Friday, Sept. 19, ensuring that Nanooks Division I hockey will continue to be streamed live to fans across the country through the 2027-28 season. Fans can continue to access Nanooks games with a FloHockey subscription at
THIS LINK.
Listen Live
Fans can also hear all of the action this season on KSUA 91.5 FM or KSUAradio.com with
Bruce Cech, the Voice of the Nanooks! Cech will bring you all of the action inside the Carlson Center or on the road throughout the 2025-26 season.
In the Trenches: 100 Years of Alaska Hockey
The Alaska Nanooks and the University of Alaska Fairbanks University Relations Department are proud to announce the "In the Trenches: 100 Years of Alaska Hockey" documentary! Fans are able to view
HERE on the Alaska Nanooks YouTube channel. The documentary will also be airing on KTVF on Sunday, Oct. 5 from 8-9 p.m. and there will be a re-run on Thursday, Oct. 9 from 9-10 p.m. on KFXF!
Junior Nooks Night/Season Ticket Appreciation Night
Friday night against UNLV is Junior Nooks Night at the Carlson Center! All kids wearing Nanooks gear will get free admission to the game! On night two, Saturday against Briercrest, the Nanooks will be giving special giveaways to those in season ticket seats! Alongside giveaways and prizes, the Nanooks will have season tickets available at discounted rates at the box office! Both nights start at 7:07 p.m. - don't be late!
#NookNotes
- This is the 100th season of Alaska Nanooks hockey. Dating back to 1925-26, the Nanooks have had a presence in Fairbanks and the University of Alaska.
- Alaska welcomes 16 newcomers this season, 12 freshmen and four transfers.
- This season, the Nanooks roster had 17 forwards, 11 defensemen and three goalies. They are front-loaded with youth, as they have 12 freshmen and 11 sophomore.
- The Nanooks have two juniors on this season's roster and six seniors.
- The 2025-26 roster is well represented from around the globe as they have players from seven different countries. The United States (15), Canada (11), Belarus (1), Finland (1), Latvia (1), Sweden (1), and Ukraine (1).
- Alaska has also pulled talent from leagues all around. This season they represent six different junior leagues with the NAHL (11), USHL (9), BCHL (4), WHL (4), MJHL (2), and QMJHL (1).
THE Bench Boss
This is the eighth season at the helm for head coach
Erik Largen. Through eight years, the Fairbanks native has a 65-92-21 (.424) record coaching the Blue and Gold. He looks to orchestrate another successful season for his alma mater. Over the course of the last four seasons, Largen has led the Nanooks to a 65-56-13 record, the best among NCAA DI Independent teams.
New Look Staff
There will be three new faces joining Coach Largen on the bench this season. The Nanooks welcomed a new Associate Head Coach in
Matt Curley over the summer. Curley served as head coach and GM of the Des Moines Buccaneers from 2021–2025. Before his time in the USHL, he was head coach at the University of Alaska Anchorage from 2018–2021 and spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Bentley University from 2013–2015. Between his first two NCAA stints, Curley was the head coach for RB Hockey Juniors in Austria, spending 2015-18 there.
Also joining the staff is
Sean Walsh. Walsh joins the Nanooks from Walsh joins the Nanooks from Bowdoin College, where he served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the past three seasons. During his tenure, the Polar Bears posted a 38–30–10 overall record, made NESCAC Tournament appearances in each year, won the 2022–23 NESCAC Conference Championship, and earned a berth in the NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Tournament that same season. Prior to his time at Bowdoin, Walsh was on staff at the University of New England for the 2021–22 season, helping lead the Nor'easters to a historic run to the NCAA Division III National Semifinals. From 2017 to 2021, he worked at the University of Maine as the video coordinator and statistical analyst for the men's hockey program.
Finally, the third newest assistant coach is
Ryan Theros. A native of Two Harbors, Minn., Theros began his coaching career in 2010 with Holy Family Catholic High School. He moved to the NA3HL in 2015, serving as General Manager and Head Coach of the Yellowstone Quake for three seasons, where he led the team to a 129-23-5 record. In 2018–19, Theros was named an assistant coach for the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL. He then spent two seasons with the NAHL's Lone Star Brahmas as Associate Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel. After brief stops with Minnesota and a return to Yellowstone, he took over as head coach of the Fairbanks Ice Dogs in 2023. In two seasons behind the bench in Fairbanks, Theros compiled a 59-46 regular-season record. He guided the Ice Dogs to a 37-16 mark in 2024–25, returning the team to the Robertson Cup Playoffs before falling in the division semifinals to the Anchorage Wolverines.
Oh Captain, My Captain
Chase Dafoe has been named the Nanooks 2025-26 captain. Hailing from Beverly, Mass., Dafoe is in his third season with the Nanooks after transferring from Providence. In two seasons with the Nanooks, he has skated in 63 games, posting 31 points on 18 goals and 13 assists. Last year was a career year for the forward as he tallied 11 goals and six assists for 17 points. He added five power-play goals, a game-winner, and a short-handed goal.
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