Alaska vs. Western Michigan, 1/8/11

Carlson Center - Upper Deck

Instead of trying to create an entry that is somehow different than game 1's, I took a semi busman's holiday for game 2 and focused on the things that didn't make it into my first Fairbanks entry.

First off, the cold here isn't that bad. The internet in my hotel moves a tortoise's pace so I walked about a mile to the nearest Starbucks to write this entry. With the mercury hovering around 3 degrees, I was surprised not to be instantly hit with that pain inducing cold we New Englanders are so accustomed to. Yet after about 15 minutes, I realized I couldn't feel my face and knew it wasn't some miracle that I couldn't beat this arctic weather. A student told me the region is classified a desert and that the reason the cold doesn't bite like back east is because the air is so dry. The snow here doesn't have a layer of ice on top of it like back east either, it stays fluffy and dry. Thanks for the meteorology lesson Steve...

The Nanook

I got to to the Carlson Center a little bit earlier for game 2 and asked the ticket usher for a seat in the student section. He happily found me one and thus began an experience quite different than game 1. Alaska entered the ice under a huge Nanook bear. Similar to Providence's entry, yet I thought because it was the school's mascot, it was acceptable. I mean come on, it looks pretty sweet. 

The student section is r-o-w-d-y. The increase in foul language made up for the decrease in ticket price. This upper deck section was fun to see a game from. The game started with an angry Alaska team trying to up the ante by aggressively forechecking the Broncos. Thus the penalties and the inevitable ref taunting came from the students. Some of the cleaner taunts included, "You suck ref!", "Where you from ref, Michigan?", and my favorite when the PA announcer would say, "Western Michigan is back at full strength" followed by the students chanting, "And they still suck!" Ahhhh, the beauty of college athletics.

Flow of the night - Luke Witkowski '13

Western Michigan opened the scoring at 18:56 on the power play when Chase Balisy '14 set up in Gretzky's office and fed Minnesota native Dane Walters '13 for the goal. At the exact same time of the 2nd frame, Max Cambell ' 11 took a power play pass from Greg Squires '12 and fired it over Alaska goalie Scott Greenham's glove for insurance. 

In between periods the Kiss Cam provided the entertainment. I can't believe this thing still exists...

The Kiss Cam

The 3rd period saw Alaska playing very frustrated. They tried desperately to score, only to have the Broncos' Jerry Kuhn '11 turn away every shot. He earned the shutout, his first of the year. Alaska had one final chance, freshman Cody Kunyk firing a one-timer from the slot that beat Kuhn, just not the net. The shot sailed wide and the final 35 seconds ended with Western Michigan sitting on the puck in their own zone. Western Michigan leaves The Last Frontier with a 2 game sweep of the #16 Nanooks. 

Kuhn was a brick wall in Game 2

CPF

Alaska vs. Western Michigan, 1/7/11

The Last Frontier

We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto. We're in Fairbanks, Alaska, a mind-altering experience for any outsider. It is not like I went to just any other state. When you tell somebody you're going to Alaska (in winter), they look at you like you're from another planet. This place is absolutely the most exotic destination in which I have ever been. 

Before I came to Alaska, I had a few days in the Bay Area of California. I went to Alcatraz, drove down Lombard Street, and saw a San Jose Sharks game. After my few days there, I decided to take crazy pills and leave a perfectly pleasant place in January and come to the coldest place in January. To accurately explain to you how far north I am - I am closer to the North Pole than Moscow and on the same latitude as southern Greenland. Seriously, this blog has taken me over.

John A. Carlson Center

Yes, I did get to a hockey game. 16th ranked Alaska - Fairbanks hosted Western Michigan for a 2 game set at the John A. Carlson Center. I touched down in Fairbanks around 4 P.M. AKST. With the sun poking only a few inches into the sky, I checked into my hotel and headed to the Carlson Center. The Carlson Center was built in 1990, boasts an Olympic sized ice sheet and 4,595 seats. The first thing that I noticed was a giant Alaskan state flag on the far wall of the building. Alaska - Fairbanks was the first of the state's universities and proudly brands itself "Alaska". It does not bother with which satellite campus it is. To the administrators, students, and locals, this is the state's flagship campus. 

With my usual, "Got anything near center ice?", the ticket usher managed to find me a seat 2 rows from the glass, right next to the penalty box. I sat down and started scanning the rosters. Western Michigan rosters a majority of junior players from the USHL, Ben Warda '12 and Nick Pisellini '13 transfered from Michigan State and Quinnipiac, respectively. Alaska followed with a roster completely made up of junior players, including 3 Alaska natives. 

Alaska's Derek Klassen '11

They sell beer! An absolute no-no in college sports, I was shocked to see a "Beer Garden" concession stand. Major league prices though, $7 for a brew. There was no band and it seemed like there hadn't been one in a while. The arena is an excellent venue, just not the traditional college atmosphere so prevalent back east. The feel was reminiscent of the mid-west. The Carlson Center is basically an enormous advertisement, corporate sponsors are as prevalent as any professional venue. It is about a mile and a half to campus, further numbing a collegiate feel. Apparently shame does not exist this far north...

It was a great atmosphere however, tons of Alaska jerseys and many, "Let's go Nanooks" chants. With not much else going on up here, fan support is very strong. 

Alaska captain Kevin Petovello '11 and Western Michigan's Jerry Kuhn '11

The 1st period was scoreless, with 2 quality scoring chances coming from both teams. At about 15 minutes in, Alaska's Andy Taranto '13 caught an airborne puck out of the air in the slot and walked in alone on Kuhn, who made a great pad save. The Broncos' Chase Balisy '14 gave Western Michigan a chance when he fired a loose puck from the left dot, only to be completely robbed by Nanook goalie Scott Greenham '12.

Andy Taranto opened the scoring for Alaska at 9:52 of the 2nd on the power play. Instead of the band playing the fight song, a deafening airhorn commemorated the goal. Western Michigan responded just a few minutes later when Greg Squires '12 sniped an absolute beauty from the left dot over Greenham's stick hand to tie it up. 

Alaska's Joe Sova '12 and goalie Scott Greenham '12

The Nanooks' Carlo Finucci '12 closed out the 2nd period scoring when he fluttered a wrist shot through Kuhn's glove from the left circle. It looked like Alaska would prevail until midway through the 3rd, the Broncos' Max Cambell '11 scored to beat Greenham from the slot, following Squires lead by going stick side. 

After a scoreless Overtime, I was treated to my first shootout of the year. Defenseman Dennis Brown '14 scored the lone goal of contest, giving Western Michigan the win. While the game will go down as a tie in the standings points wise, it still leaves the Nanooks hungry for revenge in game 2. I'll be there tonight, maybe Alaska can halt the Broncos 4 game unbeaten streak.

Western Michigan prevails 3-2 in a shootout

CPF