Michigan Hockey: Alaska at Michigan -- Preview

Posted at 4:00pm -- 1/15/2010


ALASKA NANOOKS / WOLVERINES HOCKEY PREVIEW

MICHIGAN (12-10-0, 7-7-0) T7th in the CCHA

University of Alaska (10-6-4, 7-6-3-3) 4th in the CCHA

Friday & Saturday, 1/15-16 7:35 PM Yost Ice Arena

Television: Fri-FSD+ Sat- Comcast local

Bearing The Facts:

Michigan and Alaska have been CCHA combatants since 1987, with Michigan holding a lopsided 37-8-0 margin over the Nanooks (for those curious, a Nanook is an Inuit term for Polar Bear). Michigan is 19-3 in Ann Arbor, and has never lost consecutive games to Alaska.

The Nanook's program has steadily improved over the past decade, as the Wolverines have dropped all eight of their games from October 1999, to the present, including Michigan’s season opening 2-0 loss this season. Alaska, as a matter of fact, has garnered two series splits in the last five visits to Yost. Michigan last defeated the Nanooks 3-1 in the CCHA Semi-finals last March.

Tough Sledding:

Alaska logs thousands of miles to play in the CCHA and typically stays on the mainland for long stretches in order to cut costs. The team usually schedules two or three consecutive road series and stays at the campus of their opponent the week leading to their games. On the flip side, Alaska this year got off to a great start, due in part to the long home stand that began the season. The Nanooks traveled down to Fairbanks to meet Michigan in the Kendall Classic on October 9th and did not take a road trip until 11/13-14 to Bowling Green. The Nanooks will have taken five road trips total this season (BG, then LSSU, followed by a solo trip to WMU, Omaha last week, and Michigan this week, then the Nanooks will alternate home and away dates the next five weeks before closing out the season against in-state rival, Fairbanks). That is a ton of travel to contend with, plus keeping up with school and practice. Alaska has put up a 5-2-3 mark in Fairbanks this season, 3-4-1 on the road, 2-0 in neutral settings and 2-0-4 in OT games this season. After a fairly hot start, Alaska has cooled down, only posting a 3-4-3-3 mark in the past ten games. Considering the wacky point structure in the CCHA this season, though, Alaska has taken advantage of its close games and secured valuable points- beating LSSU in OT at the Soo, taking two OT shootout wins over NMU at home, and posting an OT shootout win over WMU in Kalamazoo. The Nanooks also have a home weekend sweep over 6th-ranked Ferris State to their credit as well, something very few teams have been able to do with the Bulldogs.

Alaska By The Numbers:

Coach Dallas Ferguson leads a very young team: eight freshmen, ten sophomores, five juniors and only four seniors. The Nanooks traditionally have been a big, tough, strong skating team that scrapes and claws for offense, but this version seems to have better balance. They currently stand 34th in the country with a 2.9 goals per game average. They are stingy on defense, only allowing 2.4 goals per game, good for 11th in the country.

The Nanooks are converting on the power play at a 22% clip, which is 19th best. This team does not take many penalties, only averaging four penalties for 8.5 minutes per game- 58th in the nation out of 59 Division I teams, and this teams kills penalties 84% of the time.

Much of the Nanook’s success can be attributed to the system the team employs- a fast paced, high energy fore-check that suffocates an opponent’s attempt at establishing a rush from their blue line. Alaska is content to allow the opponent to turn the puck over and counter attack with their speed. Once they get the lead, which has been frequent this season, it is difficult to mount any kind of offense. The Nanooks are content on clogging the passing lanes and force opponents into a dump and chase game. They are content winning tight checking, 2-1, 1-0 type games, but have enough offense to skate with teams that want to play a more open style, or who have secured a lead. Alaska has outscored their opponents in all three periods this season.

When the Nanook defense isn’t blocking shots or preventing entry into their zone, the goaltender usually makes the stops he should. The Nanooks are led by Sophomore netminder Scott Greenham, who has played every second for Alaska this season. Greenham has a 10-6-4 record, a 2.31 GAA and a .914 Sv% which ranks just ahead of Michigan’s Bryan Hogan. He and Hogan lead the CCHA in minutes played and handling the most shots.

Alaska is led offensively by Freshman Andy Taranto (9-15-24), Senior Dion Knelson (10-9-19) and Freshman Nik Yaremchuk (4-12-16). Sophomore defenseman Joe Sova leads the blue line corps with 4-10-14. Alaska is well balanced on the back-line, with two sophomores, a freshman, a junior and a senior gaining most of the ice time. It is no surprise that Alaska is currently fourth in the league. They rarely make defensive mistakes, take bad penalties or allow soft goals. They have gotten enough offense to win this season and have young, talented forwards that will make the future of this team very bright.

Wolverine Notes:

Michigan comes into this weekend feeling a little bit better about most aspects of their game after sweeping WMU last weekend. The power play is much improved, now clicking at a 20.2% rate, 22nd in the country. The penalty kill is ranked 3rd in the country (behind Notre Dame and Air Force) at 89% effectiveness. The Wolverines are currently 9th in the country in team defense, allowing an average of 2.36 goals per game. The offense has improved to 23rd in goals scored, averaging 3.09 goals per game.

Michigan continues to hurt itself with penalties, now ranked 9th in penalty minutes per game at 17.27.

Carl Hagelin was a monster last weekend, adding 2G and 3A to his team leading points total. The Hobey Baker candidate has a 12-13-25 line on the year and was named CCHA offensive player of the week for 1/8-9. Matt Rust now is at 8-11-19; Louie Caporusso (6-10-16) has slipped ahead of Chris Brown (7-8-15) who appears to be hitting that freshman wall at this time of the season.

Bryan Hogan checks in with a 12-9-0 mark, a .900 Sv% and a 2.32 GAA. He appeared to have a solid game last Saturday and will be a key to the next stretch of games for Michigan.

The one thing that Michigan seems to have avoided so far this season is the injury bug, although David Wohlberg has been bothered with a sore back most of the season. He has played much better the last four games.

This week’s keys to the match up:

1. To emphasize goaltender play, again. There will be two tight games this weekend and Hogan must outplay his counterpart, who shut Michigan out in Alaska.

2. Alaska is not going to be intimidated by Yost Arena. Michigan must gain the lead on this team and play solid defense. The Nanooks will force Michigan to play 60 minutes of hockey.

3. Stay out of the box, because Alaska is a team that thrives on opportunity. Alaska will not give much back.

4. If Michigan is to make a run at a home ice first round bye, this weekend continues to be a key. Anything less than a sweep will severely hamper Michigan's chance of obtaining a bye.

Prediction:

Friday
Michigan 2 Alaska 1

Saturday
Michigan 3 Alaska 2

Written by Yostmeister

Go Blue -- Wear Maize!