Monday, October 12, 2009

Nannoks Move Up

Naturally, after defeating the (previously) number 3 team in the season, the Nanooks have moved up 15 spots in INCH's power rankings. Mind you, this is their first official power ranking poll of the current season, but their pre-season rankings pegged at #30, which my keen math skills tell me that puts UAF at spot #15. More interestingly, Michigan only dropped 3 spots to number 6.  Apparently the guys at INCH think that embarrassing our southern rivals, after suffering a disappointing shut out at the hands of the Nanooks, keeps them in the top 10. I realize that a lot has to do with Michigan having such a power house program, or whatever, but its the same as the BCS in college football. Top spots aren't given to the most skilled teams, rather the most "prestigious"teams that rake in the most attendance/money. Any college football fans out there remember Utah from last year? Yeah, an undefeated team that deserved to be in the national championship game, but barely earned a bowl bid, and used their opportunity to crush Alabama 31-17. Same story from last year pretty much in hockey-land with Bemidji State making the Frozen Four, expected to finish at the bottom of the ladder.

Enough ranting about biases, back to good news. Nanook netminder Scott Greenham earned CCHA Goalie of the Week honors after stopping 43 of 44 shots and posting a shutout against the 3rd ranked team in the conference. Well done, Scott. You earned that one.

I was kind of hoping that Andy Taranto would have picked up the rookie of the week tab, but Derek Grant at MSU had a great weekend as well, but put up slightly better numbers. Collectively, I'd like to see all of our rookies earn a spot on there at least once this season.

Nanooks are 2-0-0 with the Brice Alaska Goal Rush this weekend at the Carlson Center. Show up and show your Nanook pride. Game previews to come.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wondering how you guys have fared afted you get ranked in the top 20/15? We've got a pretty dismal record

Britton said...

http://www.uscho.com/rankings/?data=uscho1m&week=poll

USCHO has released their rankings, pegs us at #17 in the top 20.

@A Seaolves Fanatic
Last year, after splitting back to back series with Michigan and Miami in the first two weekends in November, we didn't fall out of the top 20 until after our back to back shut outs against Notre Dame. We were #16 on USCHO's poll on November 9th, 2008. Since that was posted, we were 5-2-3 between then and our trip to South Bend.

Anonymous said...

The polls have actually boded well for you......... then again overall your record would be better against weaker competition up and down your league..........

Jason said...

@ A Seawolves Fanatic, how soon you forget UAF 2, Michigan 0 and Michigan 6, UAA 1.

Anonymous said...

And, how soon you forget you didn't even score against us this year, and can't. You also forget the what 80 wins you have hand delieverd us, Jason. And, you played Mich, when they overlooked you, and they didn't come out on all cylinder's, like they did to us when we overlooked them, and came out flat-footed.

Britton said...

A little Governor's cup history lesson. The series is now tied at 8-8 after UAA ended UAF's streak of winning 5 governor's cups consecutively, the longest streak since the trophy came into being 16 years ago.

Largest margin of victory? UAF defeates UAA 6-0 in 2004

http://www.uscho.com/recaps/20042005/m/10/23/uaf-uaa.php

Last season, UAF wanted to take full advantage of our first round bye and home ice for the 2nd round of the playoffs. Didn't want to get anybody hurt, and you could tell that UAF played those games last year quite reserved on both sides of the puck. Granted, our scoring department definitely needed some work, but I think our coaching staff did a great job in the recruiting area with the rookie forwards we have now in Chad Gehon, Andy Taranto, Jarret Granberg, and Nik Yaremchuk. Freshman d-man Justin Daigle had some good scoring numbers in the juniors as well, so he could be a threat on the point...

Definitely looking forward to the governor's cup series this year. Who knows, maybe this governor might actually show up to present the trophy this year...

UAAalumni09 said...

Largest margin of victory in all time games? UAA defeats UAF 11-0 in 1980.
http://issuu.com/seawolf1/docs/uaa_hky_guide/1?mode=a_p

All time series? UAA 80-48-11
http://issuu.com/seawolf1/docs/uaa_hky_guide/1?mode=a_p

Since the trophy began, only once did a team go scoreless in the series, and that would be last year, UAA defeating UAF, 1-0, 3-0.

As you said, I look forward to the head to head match up.

Britton said...

Incorrect. I was referring to strictly the Governor's cup series.
The following are the only other times a team was held scoreless in the governor's cup series. Last year was the first time any team has been blanked twice.

UAF blanks UAA 3-0 on 12/31/2005
UAF blanks UAA 6-0 on 10/23/2004
UAF blanks UAA 4-0 on 10/23/2002
UAF blanks UAA 5-0 on 03/8/2003