Post-season college hockey news March 31, 2009
Posted by sunstarsports in hockey.Tags: Alaska, CCHA, Chad Johnson, Dallas Ferguson, Fairbanks, hockey, Nanooks, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks
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Even though the Nanooks are done for the season, there’s still some “teams” being formed. College Hockey News compiled an All-CHN team, which includes Nanook goaltender Chad Johnson on the Second Team.
Coach Dallas Ferguson also made it onto the list of nine finalists for the Spencer Penrose award, which honors Div. I hockey’s coach of the year.
Takin’ it back March 25, 2009
Posted by sunstarsports in hockey.Tags: Alaska, CCHA, Fairbanks, hockey, Nanooks, Steve Moria, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks
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Steve Moria, whose name graces the Nanook hockey team’s MVP award, is still playing in England, and was recently named to the first-team all-league in the English Premiere League, which is England’s second-level circuit.
I’ll put it into perspective and copy Doyle on this one- Moria played agaisnt Tim Molle, the father of Nanook defenders Bryant and Dustin. And he’s still kickin’. That’s sweet.
Hockey again March 23, 2009
Posted by sunstarsports in hockey.Tags: Alaska, CCHA, Derek Bradish, Fairbanks, hockey, Nanooks, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks
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The News-Miner published an article today about how the five Nanook seniors had a chat with the returning players about what it means to be a Nanook and how this trip to the Joe shouldn’t be seen as a one-time deal.
The article also features a blurb about Derek Bradish, of Fairbanks, who didn’t play in a single game this year as a freshman, and how he and Eric Babcook and Cody Rymut are the unsung heroes who push the rest of the team every day in practice. Rymut was the only one of the three to get playing time this season, and he saw action in just one game.
Nanooks lose to UMich 3-1 March 21, 2009
Posted by sunstarsports in hockey.Tags: Alaska, CCHA, CCHA championships, CCHA playoffs, CCHA semifinals, Chad Johnson, Dallas Ferguson, Fairbanks, hockey, Nanooks, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks
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Updated 12:28 a.m. 3/21 to add links
It was a close game between the Nanooks and the Wolverines as the University of Michigan, who has appeared in the last 20 straight CCHA championships, defeated Alaska 3-0. Michigan struck first on a power-play goal on a five-minute major by Bryant Molle for checking from behind. Alaska’s Braden Walls scored for the Nanooks. Louie Caporusso scored Michigan’s second goal. With 2:22 left in the game, and a penalty, CCHA coach of the year Dallas Ferguson pulled CCHA player and goalie of the year Chad Johnson, leading to Michigan’s final goal.
News-Miner 2 (more in depth)
News-Miner 3 (wow)
Trevor Hyatt had company at the banquet this year (News-Miner 4!)
The Nanooks take on Western Michigan in the consolation final tonight.
Some hockey links for today March 21, 2009
Posted by sunstarsports in hockey.Tags: Alaska, CCHA, CCHA championships, CCHA playoffs, CCHA semifinals, Chad Johnson, Dallas Ferguson, Fairbanks, Hobey Baker Award, hockey, Nanooks, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks
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I’m watching the Nanooks’ game against Michigan… Wolverines are ahead 2-1 but the Nanooks had some good momentum started in the second period. Let’s hope they can keep it up in the third.
USCHO.com- CCHA awards headlined by Johnson
USCHO.com- CCHA blogger on this week in the CCHA (predicts Michigan victory 4-2)
News-Miner on the Nanooks’ new approach this season
News-Miner on Chad Johnson and Dallas Ferguson’s awards
It’s official! March 20, 2009
Posted by sunstarsports in hockey.Tags: Alaska, CCHA, CCHA coach of the year, CCHA Player of the Year, Chad Johnson, coach of the year, Dallas Ferguson, Fairbanks, hockey, Nanooks, Player of the Year, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks
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Fairbanks is the home of the CCHA’s player of the year and coach of the year!
The Nanooks’ site has a photo here.
Johnson CCHA Player of the Year and Hobey Baker finalist March 20, 2009
Posted by sunstarsports in hockey.Tags: Alaska, CCHA, CCHA Player of the Year, Chad Johnson, Fairbanks, Hobey Baker Award, hockey, Nanooks, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks
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Today Chad Johnson was named one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker award.
Joining Johnson on the list are: Louie Caporusso- Michigan, Matt Gilroy- Boston University, Zane Kalemba- Princeton, Jacques Lamoureux- Air Force, Jamie McBain- Wisconsin, David McIntyre- Colgate, Viktor Stalberg- Vermont, Brad Thiessen- Northeastern and Colin Wilson- Boston University.
The only other CCHA finalist is Louie Caporusso of Michigan, who leads the CCHA in goal scoring and is third in points. He’s tied for ninth in points on the national level and fifth in goal scoring
Here’s what they have to say about him in the release (hey! apparently he got that player of the year award too!)
Alaska’s surge to fourth place in the CCHA standings was heavily influenced by Johnson’s stingy goaltending. The Nanooks are second nationally in team GAA (1.70) because of Johnson’s 1.67 GAA also ranking second in the nation. His heroics earned Johnson CCHA Player of the Year honors, selection as First Team all-star and winner of the Best Goalie Award as the CCHA’s top netminder. His outstanding save percentage of .939 leads the country while his 6 shutouts are third. His overall won-loss record is 14-14-5.
Led the CCHA in conference play in GAA and save percentage (1.69 and .939)
Volunteers with Habitat for Humanity in the summers and helps youth hockey in-season
Pittsburgh draft pick (5th round) – only 7 GP last year due to ankle injury
Three finalists will be announced on April 2, and the ultimate winner will be announced April 10.
I can’t find a release anywhere about whether or not coach Dallas Ferguson got coach of the year. Maybe the player of the year info was a leak? or a misinterpretation? or they’re just starting the banquet and haven’t announced it yet? No embargo on the release, so let it be known!
Four shooters All-American March 19, 2009
Posted by sunstarsports in Rifle.Tags: Alaska, all-american team, Fairbanks, Nanooks, NCAA, Rifle, rifle all-americans, shooting, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks
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Patrik Sartz, Cody Rutter, Billy Galligan and Layne Lewis all earned All-American or honorable mention honors. Sartz was named a First-Team All-American in both smallbore and air rifle, while Rutter was First-Team in smallbore and Second-Team in air rifle.
Galligan and Lewis both were honorable mentions in smallbore. Galligan was also an honorable mention last year.
Hobey Finalists to be announced tonight March 19, 2009
Posted by sunstarsports in hockey.Tags: Alaska, Carter Camper, CCHA, CCHA Awards Banquet, Chad Johnson, coach of the year, Dallas Ferguson, Fairbanks, Hobey Baker Award, hockey, Jordan Pearce, Nanooks, Player of the Year, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks
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Tonight the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award will be announced. I’m betting Chad Johnson will be on the list.
This week inside the CCHA features Dallas Ferguson, Jordan Pearce of Notre Dame (from Anchorage), Aaron Palushaj of Michigan (guessed to be a Hobey finalist by ESPNU) and Tim Hartung of Northern Michigan.
Speaking of top 10 finalists. Last week I got the “media ballot” for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS award. I’m not going to say who I voted for, but I made sure to look through all of their profiles and I originally narrowed it down to five, but there were three that stood out to me. Nanook Trevor Hyatt, of course, Michigan State’s Jeff Lerg, and Air Force’s Mike Phillipich. It was a pretty tough decision. Going by just the Classroom, Character and Community, each of them took a No. 1 spot in my book. It took some more whittling down, but we’ll see how it turns out. On the fan voting page (don’t forget to vote!), Phillipich leads with 18 percent, just one percent above both Jordan Pearce (Notre Dame) and Erik Condra (also Notre Dame). Hyatt has 7 percent of the vote which is just one percent over Lerg with 6. I think those four round out all of the CCHA candidates.
The CCHA banquet is tonight, and the award winners will be announced. My money is on Dallas Ferguson as coach of the year. His competition is John Markell of Ohio State and Jeff Jackson of Notre Dame. Both of those coaches are great– you can’t beat leading your team to a regular season championship two years in a row, but I think that taking a team from ninth to third/fourth in one season– as a first year coach, will get Ferguson the prize.
Chad Johnson is in competition with Miami’s Carter Camper and Notre Dame’s Jordan Pearce. I think this one’s a little tougher to call. I’m rooting for Chad of course, and besides, he’s the ONLY reason that the Nanooks are in the CCHA finals, because if he hadn’t stood on his head on Sunday, more pucks definitely would have gotten through from Ohio State. However, it’s hard to pick between the two top goaltenders in the country. Right now, looking at USCHO.com stats, Jordan Pearce is listed at No. 1 and Johnson at 2.
Pearce has played in 36 games to Johnson’s 33 and has a better win/loss record. Pearce is at 28-5-3 and Johnson at 14-14-5. Johnson has more saves: 834 to Pearce’s 817, and a slightly higher save percentage: Johnson is at .939 (best in the country) and Pearce at .934. However, Pearce takes it in GAA with 1.6210 and Johnson has 1.6665. Pearce leads the country in shutouts with eight. Johnson has six according to the site, but somewhere I saw that his Sunday shutout put him at seven, which ties Wylie Rogers’ season record. Not sure which one’s right, I think I counted six through the season.
As for Carter Camper, he’s tied at 29th on the top scoreres list with 39 points (20 goals, 19 assists). … fun fact: Miami University has a synchronized skating team… Camper leads the RedHawks in scoring, and was on the CCHA’s All-Rookie team last season.
I can’t call it for player of the year. Pearce has definitely helped his team stay at No. 1 for most of the season, but didn’t single-handedly take them there. Sunday’s game wasn’t too pretty overall, and Chad Johnson’s shutout is what helped them keep it to where a bouncy goal got them to the Joe.
Detroit News has an article about how all four teams at the championships have solid goaltending.
So does the Detroit Free Press.
Here’s a link to a News-Miner article about the Nanooks heading to the Joe
Nanooks are going to the Joe! March 16, 2009
Posted by sunstarsports in hockey.Tags: Alaska, Buckeyes, CCHA, CCHA playoffs, Chad Johnson, Fairbanks, hockey, Nanooks, Ohio State University, OSU, Ron Meyers, UAF, University of Alaska Fairbanks
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FYI: “The Joe” is the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, where the CCHA finals will be hosted this coming weekend.
Oh man, what a… third period. After an unremarkable two periods against Ohio State (Buckeyes were leading in shots 42-24 just before the Nanooks’ goal), freshman Ron Meyers put the puck off of goalie Dustin Carlson’s back with 50.7 (ish) seconds left. Chad Johnson tied Wylie Rogers’ shutout record (like he cares, they’re going to the Joe, he even said so in the press conference).
At the press conference, Meyers said that he was trying to get a pass to linemate Ryan Hohl. “It wasn’t a very good pass” he said (not a ‘direct quote,’ but it was very similar) and it hit the goalie’s back and went in, erupting the stadium in cheers.
Anchorage Daily News’ hockey blog
I missed the first period (someone had to run the Sun Star’s staff meeting) but it was pretty unremarkable until the Nanooks picked up some momentum in the third period.
After the game Dion Knelsen jumped up and pounded the glass where the student section was. I thought that was great. It’s nice to see them show their appreciation for the fans rather than just say it. I had to tell him so after the game too… heck, it’s my last game as a student, I sure appreciated it and I wasn’t even up in the front row pounding on the glass and painted up.
The Nanooks will take on Michigan on Friday and Notre Dame on Saturday If they win, they take on the winner of the Notre Dame/Northern Michigan game. I read the ’schedule’ on the CCHA website wrong. I seriously contemplated using miles to get a ticket (and getting a press pass), but it’s just not feasible right now. It was a really nice fantasy for about an hour of how awesome it would be.
Ron Meyers is no stranger to scoring game-winners in big games. He explained during the press conference that when he was 17, his team was in the national tournament and he scored in the third (or fourth?) overtime to win. Pretty awesome.
