Nanooks release competitive 2013-14 hockey schedule
May 15, 2013
Chris Brooks
907-474-6805
Alaska Nanooks head coach Dallas Ferguson announced the upcoming Alaska hockey schedule Tuesday afternoon, which is highlighted by four matchups against NCAA Tournament teams, including one with last year's national runner-up, a four-game conference season series for the Governor's Cup with Alaska Anchorage and the full 28-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association slate.
The Nanooks, who finished their final season in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association in March, went 17-16-4 overall with a 12-13-3-1 record in conference play to finish sixth in the CCHA standings.
Following the Blue-Gold intrasquad scrimmage on Sept. 28 and an exhibition Oct. 5 with the University of British Columbia (Canada), the regular season gets underway when Alaska treks to Anchorage for the Kendall Hockey Classic, Oct. 11 and 12, at Sullivan Arena.
The season opener will feature the Nanooks and Air Force, followed by their second game of the tournament against the defending national runner-up and top seed from the 2013 NCAA Championship, Quinnipiac.
The ensuing weekend, Alaska will look to defend its team title when it hosts the Brice Alaska Goal Rush, Oct. 18 and 19, at the Carlson Center. Joining the 'Nooks and Seawolves at the annual event will be the former WCHA member Denver and former CCHA member Western Michigan.
“It's something that's been advantageous of our program to have the tournaments at the beginning of the season to get non-conference games before you start conference play,” Ferguson said. “This year falls in suit with the teams we have coming up to our tournament as well as the Kendall Anchorage.”
The non-conference slate rounds out Oct. 25 and 26 as the Nanooks welcome in Mercyhurst for a two-game set to be played in a rare location. Due to conflicting events at both the Carlson Center and the Big Dipper Ice Arena, both games will be played on campus at the Patty Ice Arena.
“The dynamics of playing on campus is unique because we haven't played a regular-season series there for a while,” Ferguson said. It will be a good environment at the Patty Ice Arena, a full house and an exciting venue for fans to watch us play in.”
Alaska's venture into the WCHA begins with six straight games against three familiar opponents formerly of the CCHA. On Nov. 1 and 2, the Nanooks play their first WCHA games ever at home against Northern Michigan. The following two weekends, Alaska hits the road at Lake Superior State (Nov. 8-9) and Ferris State (Nov. 23-24).
Following a home series versus Michigan Tech during Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 29-30), games one and two of the Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup will take place Dec. 6 and 7 at Alaska Anchorage. The 2013 calendar year wraps up the following week at Bemidji State (Dec. 13-14).
Alaska begins 2014 with a home weekend against NCAA participant Minnesota State (Jan. 3 and 4), which marks a string of five straight weekends the Nanooks will be on the ice. Four of the final five series, including the last two of the season, will be played at the Carlson Center as the Nanooks will not have to travel after Feb. 15. The slate wraps up March 7 and 8 at home with games three and four of the Governor's Cup series against UAA, with Alaska attempting to win a fifth straight title in the now 21-year history of the event.
“The way it works out at the end is we have a couple weeks off but having four games at home before we start the playoffs is good for our team,” Ferguson said. “The Governor's Cup to end the season like that is a special thing. That's how it's been for us since I've been here that you end the season against Anchorage before conference playoffs. It's an exciting way to finish the season and will be good for our fans.”
Ferguson added, “Anytime you can play your rival more is good for your fans, for the rivalry and good for the state of hockey in Alaska. We travel well to Anchorage so it works for the fans that they can go down and see two games as opposed to just one. I think having them on the schedule four times versus two times is real beneficial to the league because it adds another strong rivalry built within the WCHA.”
The WCHA playoffs kick off March 14-16 with the top eight teams advancing to a best-of-three series at the top four seeds with the winning squads advancing to the WCHA Final Five on March 21 and 22 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich.
“We have three new teams we haven't really played before, so that will be exciting for fans to see new teams and for our players to travel into new buildings,” Ferguson said. “I think it's a challenging schedule. If you look at the teams moving over with us, we always have competitive series with them. It's going to be hard-nosed hockey and the team has to be ready for that. I'm excited about the season, about the new conference and also the team we have coming back and the players we have coming into our program.”
For more information, contact Chris Brooks, Media Relations Assistant, at cpbrooks@alaska.edu.
2013-14 Alaska Hockey Schedule