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2011 Alaska Nanook Offseason: Wake Me Up When September Ends

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  • #46
    Re: 2011 Alaska Nanook Offseason: Wake Me Up When September Ends

    I will be shocked if UAF is rejected by the WCHA. I think UAF will be added as the 7th WCHA member. The 8th member will probably be MSU-Moorhead. If MSU-Moorhead's plans fall through though, the WCHA might just stay at seven teams. I'm hearing the Minnesota schools would dread having to travel to WMU or LSSU.

    Best of luck to you guys.
    LSSU hockey-3 time NCAA champs 1988, 1992, 1994

    Comment


    • #47
      Re: 2011 Alaska Nanook Offseason: Wake Me Up When September Ends

      Heading down the off-season home stretch. August can be a mixed bag of warmth, wetness, wind, or winter (and that's all on the same day), so get out when you can. I stopped by the Face-Off Club's "14th Annual Alaska Hockey Scramble" on August 6th to take a few pics. Nothing official, I just tried to stay out of folk's way and tried not to intrude too badly.

      It started out a pretty cold and hazy morning. I left about the time the sun started warming things up. If you’re a Nook fan you have to appreciate the time and effort a small but dedicated group of Face-Off Club members put into supporting the team. You also have to appreciate sponsors like Yukon Title and the various hole sponsors for their support.

      If you're a Nook fan, consider joining in and volunteering a little. Nanook Hockey and college hockey in general is in for some big changes in the next couple of years. We expect the team to step their game up notch, so it would be nice to see the fans do the same. Back to the scramble...

      Warming up was mostly a figure of speech...
      *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-x3CLXbH/0/L/20110806-2-L.jpg******

      But eventually everybody was off and running...
      *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-5z7SSss/0/L/20110806-102-L.jpg******

      Hoping with a little luck to win a four-wheeler...
      *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-WQwX2qP/0/L/20110806-146-2-L.jpg******

      Hiding in the bushes was more of a matter of survival and not really artistic expression...
      *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-X5V2BDx/1/L/20110806-38-L.jpg******

      The Face-Off Club manned the grills and provided the grub...
      *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-ScgrhvQ/0/L/20110806-58-2-L.jpg******

      And by the looks of things it was appreciated...
      *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-99DTwDJ/0/L/20110806-97-L.jpg******

      Play continued and the sun started warming things up a little...
      *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-3Rdg7vT/0/L/20110806-84-L.jpg******

      All-in-all it looked to be a pretty enjoyable and relaxed event...
      *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-zzRXBDS/0/L/20110806-207-L.jpg******

      And Coach was always there to give sage advice when called upon...
      *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-pq8WShj/0/L/20110806-214-L.jpg******
      Last edited by mmf; 08-14-2011, 04:42 PM.

      Comment


      • #48
        Thanks for the pics, mmf. I played in the inaugural Palmer golf fundraiser last year. It was a good time.

        Originally posted by mmf View Post
        Heading down the off-season home stretch. August can be a mixed bag of warmth, wetness, wind, or winter (and that's all on the same day), so get out when you can. I stopped by the Face-Off Club's "14th Annual Alaska Hockey Scramble" on August 6th to take a few pics. Nothing official, I just tried to stay out of folk's way and tried not to intrude too badly.

        It started out a pretty cold and hazy morning. I left about the time the sun started warming things up. If you’re a Nook fan you have to appreciate the time and effort a small but dedicated group of Face-Off Club members put into supporting the team. You also have to appreciate sponsors like Yukon Title and the various hole sponsors for their support.

        If you're a Nook fan, consider joining in and volunteering a little. Nanook Hockey and college hockey in general is in for some big changes in the next couple of years. We expect the team to step their game up notch, so it would be nice to see the fans do the same. Back to the scramble...

        Warming up was mostly a figure of speech...
        *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-x3CLXbH/0/L/20110806-2-L.jpg******

        But eventually everybody was off and running...
        *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-5z7SSss/0/L/20110806-102-L.jpg******

        Hoping with a little luck to win a four-wheeler...
        *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-WQwX2qP/0/L/20110806-146-2-L.jpg******

        Hiding in the bushes was more of a matter of survival and not really artistic expression...
        *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-X5V2BDx/1/L/20110806-38-L.jpg******

        The Face-Off Club manned the grills and provided the grub...
        *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-ScgrhvQ/0/L/20110806-58-2-L.jpg******

        And by the looks of things it was appreciated...
        *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-99DTwDJ/0/L/20110806-97-L.jpg******

        Play continued and the sun started warming things up a little...
        *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-3Rdg7vT/0/L/20110806-84-L.jpg******

        All-in-all it looked to be a pretty enjoyable and relaxed event...
        *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-zzRXBDS/0/L/20110806-207-L.jpg******

        And Coach was always there to give sage advice when called upon...
        *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/14th-Annual-Hockey-Scramble/i-pq8WShj/0/L/20110806-214-L.jpg******
        “We offer no apology for our location at 64 51’21’’ north latitude. We are building for the future and we are confident that well directed effort and education are the forces which make progress possible”

        —UA President Charles E. Bunnell, 1925

        Comment


        • #49
          Re: 2011 Alaska Nanook Offseason: Wake Me Up When September Ends

          There's an article about Jordan Hendry today on the Hockey Wilderness site (www.hockeywilderness.com}.

          Comment


          • #50
            Re: 2011 Alaska Nanook Offseason: Wake Me Up When September Ends

            *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/Somewhat-Hockey-related-photos/i-zMtSmPT/0/L/20091125-70-L.jpg******

            Finally... time for Nook fans to kick back and have a cold one. All this realignment crap is pretty much settled for the Nooks and we can once again espouse on the optimism of a season yet started.

            And for whatever reason I am optimistic. But I guess that defines a fan. Quite frankly our team under-performed badly last year. With what we have returning and what's coming in, we should be more than solid. We should also be pretty much overlooked in the conference, which is fine by me. We'll probably be ranked in the bottom third of the CCHA.

            I'm not a hockey stats guy. I only look at the basic stuff. We lost five seniors, but only Petovello was top ten in points at 23. The other four combined for 21 total points. Our offensive juggernaut doesn't seem to have taken a hit. We also lost Sova, our number 2 scorer with 24 points. I think we may have lost one or two other non-seniors from last season's roster, but very few points.

            So we have 73% of our scoring returning...talented players that should have better years...and solid and experienced goal-tending that hopefully won't have to shut out an opponent to get a win. We should once again play solid defense, even if it has to suffer somewhat to open up the offense a little (nothing comes without a price). And we have some promising recruits.

            With all the realignment garbage that has going on, I wouldn't be surprised to see all teams play with more of an edge the next two years. I'm already looking forward to our early season non-conference matchups with SCSU, Clarkson, UNO, and Mercyhurst. We'll find out what we're made of early.

            Go Nooks!

            Comment


            • #51
              Re: 2011 Alaska Nanook Offseason: Wake Me Up When September Ends

              Originally posted by mmf View Post
              *****http://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/Other-Nanook-Hockey-Galleries/Somewhat-Hockey-related-photos/i-zMtSmPT/0/L/20091125-70-L.jpg******

              Finally... time for Nook fans to kick back and have a cold one. All this realignment crap is pretty much settled for the Nooks and we can once again espouse on the optimism of a season yet started.

              And for whatever reason I am optimistic. But I guess that defines a fan. Quite frankly our team under-performed badly last year. With what we have returning and what's coming in, we should be more than solid. We should also be pretty much overlooked in the conference, which is fine by me. We'll probably be ranked in the bottom third of the CCHA.

              I'm not a hockey stats guy. I only look at the basic stuff. We lost five seniors, but only Petovello was top ten in points at 23. The other four combined for 21 total points. Our offensive juggernaut doesn't seem to have taken a hit. We also lost Sova, our number 2 scorer with 24 points. I think we may have lost one or two other non-seniors from last season's roster, but very few points.

              So we have 73% of our scoring returning...talented players that should have better years...and solid and experienced goal-tending that hopefully won't have to shut out an opponent to get a win. We should once again play solid defense, even if it has to suffer somewhat to open up the offense a little (nothing comes without a price). And we have some promising recruits.

              With all the realignment garbage that has going on, I wouldn't be surprised to see all teams play with more of an edge the next two years. I'm already looking forward to our early season non-conference matchups with SCSU, Clarkson, UNO, and Mercyhurst. We'll find out what we're made of early.

              Go Nooks!


              I agree. I will say that I think our D is going to be fast and aggressive. Sova logged a bunch of time, and put up some points, but was slow (seen him beat several times), and not very aggressive. I thought he also turned to puck over a lot (again he logged lots of time). Not trying to put him down, but just pointing out the things that I didn’t like about him. There is no doubt that he is a darn good player, he did go pro after all. I think overall the D will step up, and we won’t notice his absence. Gens and Enders will step up. Throw in Odegard, Quinn, butcher, and a slew of nice recruit, and the D looks good. With our D being quicker, and an already speedy O, I think this should be an exciting team to watch. Just my opinion.
              All that was left, then, was for the Nanooks to celebrate with their fans. And for the Seawolves to get one last earful of the rowdies from Fairbanks.

              "I've got a lot of expletives I'd like to use,'' Fournier said, slumped in his locker room stall. "It's very embarrassing when you're playing on your home ice and they have more fans and they're louder.

              "We might as well have played the games in Fairbanks.''

              Comment


              • #52
                Re: 2011 Alaska Nanook Offseason: Wake Me Up When September Ends

                I'm kind of nervous, frankly. It's hard to know what to expect when one-third of the players (8} are freshmen. I also wonder about the fact that some of them were fairly late additions to the roster -- seems like the coaches typically try to lock up recruits a year or two in advance. Late bloomers, maybe? I'm curious -- have we ever had last-minute acquisitions who turned out to be dominant players? Sincere question. I'd love to have a better understanding of the "best timing" for recruiting players.

                The guys we've lost: seniors Petovello, Molle, Klassen, Hohl and Sather, plus Sova, Slemp, Cardwell and Rundell. Half of them weren't in the lineup most nights, so I don't think our losses are worse than any other year.

                I do, however, think it's vital that the Nanooks have a really good season. Otherwise, the early success under Ferguson looks like a fluke. Recruiting could be an increasing challenge due to the upcoming league shift; we need to be viewed as a team that improves each season.

                Comment


                • #53
                  Re: 2011 Alaska Nanook Offseason: Wake Me Up When September Ends

                  Originally posted by Wondering View Post
                  I'm kind of nervous, frankly. It's hard to know what to expect when one-third of the players (8} are freshmen. I also wonder about the fact that some of them were fairly late additions to the roster -- seems like the coaches typically try to lock up recruits a year or two in advance. Late bloomers, maybe? I'm curious -- have we ever had last-minute acquisitions who turned out to be dominant players? Sincere question. I'd love to have a better understanding of the "best timing" for recruiting players.

                  The guys we've lost: seniors Petovello, Molle, Klassen, Hohl and Sather, plus Sova, Slemp, Cardwell and Rundell. Half of them weren't in the lineup most nights, so I don't think our losses are worse than any other year.

                  I do, however, think it's vital that the Nanooks have a really good season. Otherwise, the early success under Ferguson looks like a fluke. Recruiting could be an increasing challenge due to the upcoming league shift; we need to be viewed as a team that improves each season.

                  Sova is the biggest loss. Everyone else was just role players, that are a dime a dozen. Good players and great guys for sure, but no one form that group (other than maybe Sova) was spectacular. On Fergie…………”Under his tutelage, the Nooks are averaging 17 wins a season (more than any of his seven predecessors) and have hosted and won three consecutive CCHA home playoff series in each of his first three seasons at the helm of his alma mater. He has also led the program to back-to-back Alaska Airlines Governor’s Cup titles and four non-conference tournament titles.”
                  Ferguson is no fluke.
                  Toranto was a very late addition……I think he qualifies as a dominant player (even with the million injuries he battled last year).
                  Keep your chin up! I think we will be a solid team. Just have to find more than one or two guys who can pot some goals.
                  All that was left, then, was for the Nanooks to celebrate with their fans. And for the Seawolves to get one last earful of the rowdies from Fairbanks.

                  "I've got a lot of expletives I'd like to use,'' Fournier said, slumped in his locker room stall. "It's very embarrassing when you're playing on your home ice and they have more fans and they're louder.

                  "We might as well have played the games in Fairbanks.''

                  Comment

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