Category Archives: Catching the Game

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UAH begins ’21 and WCHA play at Michigan Tech

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UAH at Michigan Tech
WHERE: John MacInnes Student Ice Arena, Houghton, Mich.
WHEN (CST): Saturday, 3:07 p.m.; Sunday, 1:07 p.m.
WATCH: FloHockey.tv (subscription)

It’s a new year and a new start for the Chargers, who face Michigan Tech in Houghton this weekend to begin conference play in the WCHA’s final season.

UAH (0-3-1) enters 2021 with a new commitment to the program, and a search for a new league to play in after this season. In the meantime, the Chargers are searching for their first win after a handful of close contests.

They’ll be playing a Michigan Tech squad (4-3-1) that’s won three games in a row. Most recently, the Huskies swept a home-and-home series against their most fierce rival, Northern Michigan, on December 18-19.

The Chargers haven’t played since December 6, when they lost at Lake Superior State 3-2 to finish a non-conference series. UAH and LSSU tied 2-2 in the first game.

The Chargers could face their former goaltender in Mark Sinclair. The senior transferred to Michigan Tech over the summer after UAH temporarily canceled the program. Sinclair played in 65 games over three years at UAH, posting a career .903 save percentage and three shutouts.

The last time the Chargers were in Houghton, in 2018, Sinclair had a 39-save shutout against the Huskies to open the series with a 1-0 UAH victory.

But Sinclair hasn’t played during the Huskies’ three-game winning streak. He got a 21-save shutout in a scoreless tie at Lake Superior State to start the season, but has played in only two games since.

Instead, sophomore Blake Pietila has gotten the hot hand, and has started in five of Tech’s last six games. He has a 1.43 goals against average and .955 save percentage.

In the UAH net, David Fessenden has been strong in two starts with a 1.14 goals against average and .957 save percentage. He stopped 25 of 27 shots in his last outing, the 2-2 tie at Lake Superior.

Freshman Tyrone Bronte leads the Chargers in scoring with four points. Bauer Neudecker and Tyr Thompson each have two goals.

Junior forward Trenton Bliss has eight points in eight games for the Huskies. He’s tied with Brian Halonen for the team lead in goals with three. Colin Swoyer, who has taken the last two WCHA defenseman of the week honors, has five assists.

Next weekend, the Chargers have their home opening series against Ferris State.

Series notes vs. Michigan Tech:
Michigan Tech leads 17-3-2, starting in the 2013-14 season.
Last 10 meetings: MTU leads 6-3-1.
Last series: Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2020 in Huntsville. MTU won 4-1, UAH won 3-1.
Last series at MTU: Dec. 14-15, 2018. UAH won 1-0, MTU won 2-1 in OT.

Chargers pick up defenseman: Alaska Anchorage freshman defenseman Josh Martin has transferred to UAH, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Martin is one of nine players who have left UAA after the school opted out of playing this season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Seawolves program may not play again unless it can raise $3 million by mid-February. Because of the pandemic, players can transfer and be immediately eligible instead of sitting out a season.

Martin played the last three seasons with the Lone Star Brahmas of the NAHL. Last year, he had 15 points in 49 games as an alternate captain. Martin played with current Charger Drew Lennon during his first season with Lone Star.

This week in the WCHA: All times Central.

Saturday, January 2
UAH at Michigan Tech, 3:07 p.m.
#7 Bowling Green at Ferris State, 2:07 p.m.
#5 Minnesota State at Northern Michigan, 5:07 p.m.
Bemidji State at #19 Lake Superior State, 4:07 p.m.*

Sunday, January 3
UAH at Michigan Tech, 1:07 p.m.
#7 Bowling Green at Ferris State, 2:07 p.m.
#5 Minnesota State at Northern Michigan, 3:07 p.m.
Bemidji State at #19 Lake Superior State, 2:07 p.m.*

*Non-conference game.

3 games in 4 days for UAH at Lake State, Ferris

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UAH at Lake Superior State
WHERE: Taffy Abel Arena, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
WHEN (CST): Saturday, 4:07 p.m.; Sunday, 2:07 p.m.
WATCH: FloHockey.tv (subscription)

UAH at Ferris State
WHERE: Ewigleben Ice Arena, Big Rapids, Mich.
WHEN (CST): Tuesday, 4:07 p.m.
WATCH: FloHockey.tv (subscription)

Only this season could have UAH play two WCHA opponents in three non-conference contests over four days. Also, the Chargers are playing on a Tuesday.

At least, that’s the current plan at the time this is posted. Remember, no games are given as college hockey tries to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the Chargers (0-2) are set to be in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. on Saturday and Sunday to play Lake Superior State (3-0-1), then head south about 250 miles to Big Rapids to face Ferris State for a single game on Tuesday.

Originally, UAH was to visit Ferris State first on Friday and then play LSSU on Sunday and Monday. But the pandemic had already affected the seasons for both Ferris and Lake Superior State.

The two clubs were scheduled to play each other last weekend, but a positive test at FSU forced a cancellation. Lake Superior State played a home-and-home series with Division III Adrian instead, winning both games.

This weekend will finish UAH’s non-conference schedule. UAH’s next action will be Jan. 1-2 at Michigan Tech to officially start WCHA league play.

The Chargers opened their season two weeks ago at Robert Morris. The first game was going fine with UAH leading 1-0 after two periods before RMU rolled in the third to take it 5-2. UAH played a more complete second game, but lost 4-3 on a power-play goal in the third.

There were some bright spots: Bauer Neudecker and Tyr Thompson each had two goals, with Thompson’s three points giving him the WCHA Forward of the Week award. Freshman Tyrone Bronte’s three assists earned him WCHA Rookie of the Week honors, and Dayne Finnson’s perfomance made him WCHA Defenseman of the Week.

Goaltender David Fessenden held the Colonials scoreless through the first two periods of the first game before being pulled for injury. He backed up freshman Derek Krall in the second game.

Add that UAH didn’t have its full complement of players in Pittsburgh, and it could be said that the Chargers may have yet to reach their full potential.

Lake Superior State is led by junior Ashton Calder, who has been dazzling in scoring three goals and two assists through four games. Jack Jeffers, a junior who scored six goals for UAH last season, has two so far for the Lakers in 2020-21.

Senior goaltender Mareks Mitens has a .939 save percentage and a 1.74 goals against average this year. He has one shutout, a scoreless tie against Michigan Tech to start the season.

Ferris State has yet to begin their campaign following up its 7-26-2 record last season. The Bulldogs are led by sophomore defenseman Jake Willets, who led FSU in scoring last season with 22 points (19 assists) and is a preseason all-WCHA selection. Senior Marshall Moise had 10 goals last year.

The last time the Chargers played hockey on a Tuesday: The second game of a very odd Monday-Tuesday series at the VBC against Robert Morris on December 18, 2007.

Series notes vs. Lake Superior State:
Lake Superior State leads 15-7-4, starting in 2005.
Last 10 meetings: LSSU leads 7-1-2.
Last series: Feb. 14-15, 2020 in Sault Ste. Marie. Tied 0-0 and LSSU won 4-1.

Series notes vs. Ferris State:
Ferris State leads 18-9-2, starting in 1985.
Last 10 meetings: FSU leads 5-4-2.
Last series: Dec. 13-14, 2019 in Big Rapids. Tied 2-2 and FSU won 3-1.

This week in the WCHA: All times Central.

Friday, December 4
#6 Minnesota State at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.

Saturday, December 5
UAH at Lake Superior State, 4:07 p.m.
Mercyhurst at #18 Bowling Green, 12:30 p.m.
#6 Minnesota State at Michigan Tech, 5:07 p.m.

Sunday, December 6
UAH at Lake Superior State, 2:07 p.m.
#18 Bowling Green at Mercyhurst, 2 p.m.

Tuesday, December 8
UAH at Ferris State, 4:07 p.m.

UAH ready to start abnormal season at RMU

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UAH at Robert Morris
WHERE: Clearview Arena, Pittsburgh, Pa.
WHEN (CST): Saturday, 6:05 p.m.; Sunday, 3:05 p.m.
WATCH: FloHockey.tv (subscription)

The 2020-21 UAH hockey season finally begins this weekend in Pittsburgh with a non-conference series against Robert Morris.

With the season delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chargers have had an extended time to practice with uncertain circumstances.

“They’re more than ready to play a game,” said Lance West, who will be making his debut as UAH head coach. “The grind of practice for that long, you can really wear them down. Not physically, but just mentally with everything that’s gone on. You need to take that into consideration. Work hard and get ourselves prepared, but understand what a grind that is and give them breaks when needed to mentally regroup. They’re ready to go.”

Under WCHA protocols, the team is tested three times a week on nonconsecutive days, and they must be tested 72 hours prior to the start of the last game of a series.

“(Head athletic trainer) Jeff (Kinard) and the training staff have done a great job,” West said.

The Chargers will leave Thursday night. Of course, aspects of travel has changed.

“The hotel rooms have to be a certain way, as well as all the meals, depending on what state you’re in,” West said. “Some states you can’t do dining, so everyone’s having to do boxed dinners and lunches, pick them up and go. And you’re adapting every day.

“The teams that don’t let it become a distraction and deal with it the best are going to have an advantage. And there’s no excuses for anybody because they’ve all dealt with it.”

Last season, Robert Morris finished a 13-19-5 overall record. They finished seventh in the Atlantic Hockey standings, advancing to the quarterfinals of the conference tournament before the pandemic ended the college hockey season early.

Head coach Derek Schooley has a familiar face assisting him: Mike Corbett, who was the head coach for the Chargers the past seven seasons.

The Colonials were tied for sixth in the Atlantic Hockey preseason coaches poll. They return their leading scorer, senior Nick Prkusic, who had 11 goals and 28 points.

“I know they’re going to be a big, strong, physical, competitive team, so we’re going to have to battle.” West said. “The reality is with everything that’s gone on and the circumstances, you expect a pretty simple game. Expect the teams to just manage the puck, play simple, not trying to do too much. I think that it will be a series that you have to grind out.”

West reiterated Wednesday that the Chargers will be a scoring by committee team, looking to Bauer Neudecker to be one of the leaders. Neudecker has been named captain, with seniors Connor Merkley and Connor Wood being the alternate captains.

“I think more of what you’re going to see is a balanced attack,” West said. “I think you’re going to see more rotating four lines, a little bit of balance and play a certain type of structure and simple game of getting pucks deep and doing it by committee.”

In goal, sophomore David Fessenden will get the nod early, but George McBey and freshman Derek Krall will get looks. “It’s going to be a battle,” West said of UAH’s goaltending. “We’re not going to set anything in stone.”

Robert Morris and UAH have met 36 times before, mostly as members of College Hockey America. The last series against the two programs occurred in Dec. 2010, right after the CHA men’s league folded.

Series notes:
UAH leads 16-15-5.
First meeting: Nov. 5-6, 2004 in Huntsville. UAH won 4-1 and 7-2.
Last meeting: Dec. 10-11, 2010 in Huntsville. RMU won 4-3 and 2-1.
Last meeting at RMU: Jan. 15-16, 2010. RMU won 3-2 and 4-2.

This week in the WCHA:

Saturday, Nov. 21
UAH at Robert Morris, 6:05 p.m.
Michigan Tech at Lake Superior State, 4:07 p.m.
#19 Bowling Green at Adrian, 6:05 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 22
UAH at Robert Morris, 3:05 p.m.
Michigan Tech at Lake Superior State, 2:07 p.m.
#5 Minnesota State at #16 Bemidji State, 5:07 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 23
#5 Minnesota State at #16 Bemidji State, 3:07 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 25
Lake Superior State at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.

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Chargers head to Minnesota State

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UAH (2-22-6, 2-16-6-1 WCHA) at Minnesota State (26-4-2, 20-3-1-1 WCHA)
WHERE: Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato, Minn.
WHEN: Friday, 7:07 p.m.; Saturday, 6:07 p.m.
WATCH: FloHockey.tv (subscription)

The Chargers’ last road trip of the regular season is this weekend in Mankato against Minnesota State. Back in October, the Mavericks, then ranked second in the country, won 5-1 and 4-1 at the VBC.

The Chargers are seven points behind eighth-place Alaska Anchorage with four games to go. UAA has the tiebreaker over UAH by taking 10 of 12 points head-to-head.

UAH had a opportunity to gain ground on the idle Seawolves last week when they faced seventh-place Lake Superior State. But the Lakers took five of six points by winning a shootout following a 0-0 tie on Friday in Michigan and then winning outright 4-1 on Saturday in Ontario.

Mark Sinclair notched his third career shutout in Friday’s draw, stopping 44 shots to set a new UAH record for saves in a shutout. He finished with 73 saves on the weekend, the third time this season he’s had 70-plus saves in a series.

Next week, UAH finishes the season at home against Bowling Green.

The Mavericks are coming off a bye week. Two weeks ago, they swept Northern Michigan 7-3 and 1-0 at home. MSU is in first place in the WCHA, five points up on hard-charging Bemidji State.

This week in the WCHA: All times Central. Games can be streamed online via subscription to FloHockey.tv.

Friday, February 21
UAH at #3 Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.
Ferris State at Bowling Green, 6:07 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Lake Superior State, 6:07 p.m.
#13 Bemidji State at Alaska Anchorage, 10:07 p.m.

Saturday, February 22
UAH at #3 Minnesota State, 6:07 p.m.
Ferris State at Bowling Green, 6:07 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Lake Superior State, 6:07 p.m.
#13 Bemidji State at Alaska Anchorage, 8:07 p.m.

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UAH faces Lakers on both sides of the Soo

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UAH (2-21-5, 2-15-5-1 WCHA) at Lake Superior State (9-20-3, 7-12-3-3 WCHA)
WHERE: Taffy Abel Arena, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. (Friday); GFL Gardens, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada (Saturday)
WHEN: Friday, 6:07 p.m.; Saturday, 6:07 p.m.
WATCH: FloHockey.tv (subscription)

The Chargers head to Sault Ste. Marie — both of them — to face Lake Superior State.

Friday’s game will be at the Lakers’ regular home at Taffy Abel Arena in Michigan. On Saturday, both teams will cross the border into Canada for the series finale.

It’s not the first time the UAH hockey team has played in Canada, though it has been a while. Back in the Division II era, the Chargers visited the University of Windsor to start the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons.

The Chargers enter the series following a disappointing series with Alaska at home. Last Friday, UAH lost a 6-4 lead with five minutes remaining in the third period as the Nanooks got two points in a 6-6 tie. Then on Saturday, the Chargers’ offense went cold in being shut out 3-0.

UAH is eight points out of the eighth and playoff spot, currently held by Alaska Anchorage, with six games to go.

The Chargers may have dodged a bullet by not losing Josh Latta, who had a hand cut by a skate in the first period of Saturday’s game and didn’t return. The freshman leads UAH in both goals (seven) and assists (10).

The Lakers are in seventh place in the WCHA, seven points ahead of Alaska Anchorage. They are 3-2-2 in their last seven games, splitting last weekend’s series at Michigan Tech.

UAH will have to LSSU senior Max Humitz, who is tied for second in the WCHA with 17 goals this season. His 26 points is tied for fifth in the league.

This week in the WCHA: All times Central. Games can be streamed online via subscription to FloHockey.tv.

Friday, February 14
UAH at Lake Superior State, 6:07 p.m.
Michigan Tech at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
#16 Bemidji State at #19 Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
Bowling Green at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.
Alaska Anchorage at #10 Arizona State, 8:05 p.m.

Saturday, February 15
UAH at Lake Superior State, 6:07 p.m.
Michigan Tech at Ferris State, 5:07 p.m.
#16 Bemidji State at #19 Northern Michigan, 5:07 p.m.
Bowling Green at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.
Alaska Anchorage at #10 Arizona State, 8:05 p.m.

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Chargers look for more wins against Alaska

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Alaska (13-13-2, 11-9-2-0 WCHA) at UAH (2-20-4, 2-14-4-1 WCHA)
WHERE: Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Ala.
WHEN: Friday, 7:07 p.m.; Saturday, 7:07 p.m.
WATCH: FloHockey.tv (subscription)
LISTEN: Penalty Box Radio (free)
PROMOTIONS: 
* Military Appreciation Weekend: Veterans and active military personnel get free admission to both games.
* Team photo giveaway on Friday.
* Kids 12-under get free admission, courtesy Huntsville International Airport.
TICKETS

The Chargers will try to build off a split with Michigan Tech when they return to the VBC this weekend to take on the Alaska Nanooks.

UAH ended a 12-game winless streak on Saturday with a 3-1 win over the Huskies. Michigan Tech won the first game 4-1 on Friday.

In the win, freshman Liam Izyk had a goal and an assist. He had three points on the weekend to earn him WCHA Rookie of the Week honors. Izyk has two goals and six assists for the season.

Goaltender Mark Sinclair had a .932 save percentage on the weekend. He had 40 saves in the first game and stopped 29 of 30 shots in the victory.

UAH remains in last place, cutting the deficit behind eighth-place Alaska Anchorage to nine points. The Chargers have eight games remaining while Anchorage has six. Ninth-place Ferris State is six points up on UAH.

The Nanooks have an eye on possibly hosting a first-round WCHA playoff series in Fairbanks. UAF is in fourth place with six games to go.

Idle last week, Alaska had a tie and loss at home to Northern Michigan two weeks ago.

A trio of juniors lead the Nanooks in scoring: Steven Jandric (8-12-20), Justin Young (9-8-17), and Max Newton (6-11-17). Goaltending has been split between senior Anton Martinsson (2.46 goals against, .922 save percentage in 17 games) and sophomore Gustavs Grigals (2.34 GAA, .905 SV% in 12 games).

On the bench, UAH alumnus Karlis Zirnis is an assistant coach for Alaska. Zirnis played at UAH from 1999-2003, scoring 119 points (second most in the school’s modern Division I era).

The Chargers and Nanooks last met last January in Huntsville, with Alaska getting a sweep. UAH split with Alaska in Fairbanks last season.

This week in the WCHA: All times Central. Games can be streamed online via subscription to FloHockey.tv.

Friday, February 7
Alaska at UAH, 7:07 p.m.
Lake Superior State at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
Alaska Anchorage at Bowling Green, 6:07 p.m.
#15 Northern Michigan at #3 Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.

Saturday, February 8
Alaska at UAH, 7:07 p.m.
Lake Superior State at Michigan Tech, 4:07 p.m.
Alaska Anchorage at Bowling Green, 6:07 p.m.
#15 Northern Michigan at #3 Minnesota State, 6:07 p.m.

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After long trip and break, Chargers host Michigan Tech

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Michigan Tech (14-12-3, 9-9-2-0 WCHA) at UAH (1-19-4, 1-13-4-1 WCHA)
WHERE: Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Ala.
WHEN: Friday, 7:07 p.m.; Saturday, 7:07 p.m.
WATCH: FloHockey.tv (subscription)
LISTEN: Penalty Box Radio (free)
PROMOTIONS: Kids 12-under get free general admission at the VBC box office, courtesy Huntsville International Airport.
TICKETS

Following a week off, the Chargers return to Propst Arena at Von Braun Center to host Michigan Tech.

UAH’s last action was two weeks ago in Anchorage, losing 5-1 and tying 2-2 against Alaska Anchorage (with UAA getting a second point in the 3-on-3 overtime). The Chargers find themselves 11 points behind the Seawolves for eighth place in the WCHA and the final conference playoff spot.

“We need anything we can get right now as far as momentum and points,” UAH head coach Mike Corbett said in his Tuesday talk with the media. “We had last weekend off, so we hope for a recharge and refuel. We’ve got to make some hay going down the stretch.”

Josh Latta scored his seventh goal of the season in the tie, putting him one behind Northern Michigan’s André Ghantous for most among WCHA freshmen. Latta has 16 points, which is tied for sixth in the WCHA among rookies.

Senior captain Austin Beaulieu has stepped it up of late, scoring three goals and two assists in his last five games.

Goaltender Mark Sinclair has played in 12 straight games with a goals against average of 3.36 and a save percentage of .905.

Michigan Tech sits in fifth place in the WCHA standings, six points behind Alaska for fourth and home ice in the first round of the playoffs.

The Huskies, dealing with offensive inconsistency and a flu outbreak, are 2-4-2 in their last eight games since winning the Great Lakes Invitational by beating Michigan and Michigan State. They split last weekend at home against ninth-place Ferris State.

“They’ve been up and down,” Corbett said. “They’ve had some really good, signature wins in their season, but they’ve also had the inconsistencies that a lot of teams have. For us to have the week off and them coming off of a split, that we’re going to get them at the right time.”

Sophomore forward Alec Broetzman leads the Huskies with 12 goals and 19 points this season.

Senior Matt Jurusik has been Tech’s leader between the pipes, posting a 2.08 goals against average (third in the WCHA) and .921 save percentage (fourth in the WCHA) with one shutout.

Michigan Tech leads the all-time series 16-2-2, including a 7-0-1 record in Huntsville. Last season, the Huskies took three of four, with UAH’s victory being a 1-0 shutout for Mark Sinclair (39 saves).

This week in the WCHA: All times Central. Games can be streamed online via subscription to FloHockey.tv.

Friday, January 31
Michigan Tech at UAH, 7:07 p.m.
Ferris State at #15 Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
Bowling Green at #19 Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.
#3 Minnesota State at Alaska Anchorage, 10:07 p.m.
Lake Superior State at USA Under-18 (exhibition), 6 p.m.

Saturday, February 1
Michigan Tech at UAH, 7:07 p.m.
Ferris State at #15 Northern Michigan, 5:07 p.m.
Bowling Green at #19 Bemidji State, 6:07 p.m.
#3 Minnesota State at Alaska Anchorage, 8:07 p.m.

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UAH heads to Anchorage for rematch

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UAH (1-18-3, 1-12-3-1 WCHA) at Alaska Anchorage (3-14-3, 3-11-2-2 WCHA)
WHERE: Seawolf Sports Complex, Anchorage, Alaska
WHEN: Friday, 10:07 p.m.; Saturday, 8:07 p.m. (times CST)
WATCH: FloHockey.tv (subscription)

Maybe a 4,000-mile-plus trip will get the Chargers on track.

UAH heads north to face Alaska Anchorage this weekend in a matchup of the bottom two teams in the WCHA. The Chargers, who need to get a run going to make the conference playoffs, sit in 10th place, six points behind the Seawolves.

The Chargers were swept at home last week by Bemidji State by scores of 3-1 and 4-3, extending their winless streak to nine games.

Josh Latta had two goals in the second game, giving him six on the season and the team lead in points with 15.

For the Seawolves, two freshmen lead in points (Nick Wicks, 12) and goals (Rylee St. Onge, five). Sophomore Tanner Schachle also has five goals.

Goaltender Kris Carlson has a .917 save percentage, which is fifth in the WCHA.

Back in November, the Seawolves took five of six points from the Chargers at the Von Braun Center. UAA took two points by taking the shootout following a 4-4 tie in game one before winning outright 3-1.

UAA has struggled since, losing 10 of its last 12 games. Last week, the Seawolves lost 4-1 and 6-3 at Northern Michigan.

This week in the WCHA: All times Central. Games can be streamed online via subscription to FloHockey.tv.

Friday, January 17
UAH at Alaska Anchorage, 10:07 p.m.
Alaska at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
#3 Minnesota State at #15 Bowling Green, 6:07 p.m.
#19 Michigan Tech at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.
#17 Northern Michigan at #1 Cornell, 6 p.m.

Saturday, January 18
UAH at Alaska Anchorage, 8:07 p.m.
Alaska at Ferris State, 5:07 p.m.
#3 Minnesota State at #15 Bowling Green, 6:07 p.m.
#19 Michigan Tech at Bemidji State, 6:07 p.m.
#17 Northern Michigan at #1 Cornell, 6 p.m.

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UAH hosts Bemidji looking to start a run

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Bemidji State (10-7-3, 10-3-1-0 WCHA) at UAH (1-16-3, 1-10-3-1 WCHA)
WHERE: Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Ala.
WHEN: Thursday, 7:37 p.m.; Friday, 7:37 p.m.
WATCH: FloHockey.tv (subscription)
LISTEN: Penalty Box Radio
PROMOTION: Kids 12-under get free general admission at the VBC box office.
TICKETS

UAH probably put on its best effort last weekend. Now the Chargers must turn this effort into victories and make a run at the WCHA playoffs.

The Chargers lost 5-2 in both games at North Dakota, which showed why its ranked No. 1 in the country. UAH was within a goal in the third period in both games, and the Hawks put each game away with an empty-net goal.

This brings UAH some confidence going into this week’s series against Bemidji State at the VBC. The Chargers will want to show that they have improved since the series in Bemidji back in November, when the Beavers won 5-3 and 7-0.

Josh Latta had a three-point weekend against North Dakota and now leads the Chargers with 13 points. He has points in four of the last five games. Christian Rajic scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season on Friday.

Mark Sinclair started both games in net at UND, making 64 total saves.

Bemidji State sits in second place in the WCHA standings, five points behind first-place Minnesota State, after sweeping Ferris State at home last week. UAH is in last place, six points behind Alaska Anchorage and seven behind eighth-place Ferris State.

The Beavers have two 10-goal scorers in Aaron Miller and Adam Brady. Their hottest forward is Owen Sillinger, who had five points in the sweep of Ferris State and earned WCHA forward of the week honors.

Defenseman Elias Rosén had four assists last week against FSU to win the WCHA rookie of the week award, and is tied with Miller for the team lead in assists with 11.

These will be the 91st and 92nd meetings between the Chargers and the Beavers. BSU holds a 51-34-5 in the overall series dating back to 1994.

TEAM STATISTICS: UAH | Bemidji State

The Bemidji Pioneer: Beavers head south to warm up against rival Alabama Huntsville

This week in the WCHA: All times Central. Games can be streamed online via subscription to FloHockey.tv.

Thursday, January 9
Bemidji State at UAH, 7:37 p.m.

Friday, January 10
Bemidji State at UAH, 7:37 p.m.
Minnesota State at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
Bowling Green at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
Alaska Anchorage at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
Lake Superior State at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.

Saturday, January 11
Minnesota State at Ferris State, 5:07 p.m.
Bowling Green at Michigan Tech, 5:07 p.m.
Alaska Anchorage at Northern Michigan, 5:07 p.m.
Lake Superior State at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.

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Chargers get crack at No. 1 to start ’20

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UAH (1-14-3) at No. 1 North Dakota (14-1-2)
WHERE: Ralph Engelstad Arena, Grand Forks, N.D.
WHEN: Friday, 7:37 p.m.; Saturday, 7:07 p.m.
WATCH: NCHC.tv (subscription)

After a struggling first half to the season, UAH resumes action at North Dak ota to face the No. 1-ranked Fighting Hawks. Before the break, the Chargers took a 2-point tie and a loss at Ferris State on December 13-14.

Christian Rajic and Josh Latta lead UAH with 10 points. Rajic, Jack Jeffers, and Tyr Thompson each have four goals.

Goaltender Mark Sinclair has a 1.91 goals against average and .946 save percentage over his last three starts (3.91 GAA and .892 SV% for the season).

The Fighting Hawks have won sevengames in a row and are unbeaten in their last 13. They defeated the USA Under-18 team in an exhibition game on December 28.

Jordan Kawaguchi leads UND with 24 points on seven goals and 17 assists. He leads a Fighting Hawk offense that is tops in Division I at 4.18 goals per game.

Adam Scheel has played all 17 games in net for North Dakota, posting a .927 save percentage and 1.56 goals against average with two shutouts. UND is third in the nation in scoring defense.

The Chargers are 0-7 all-time against No. 1. The last chance came against Boston College on Dec. 29, 2012 at the Mariucci Classic in Minnesota, when UAH fell 5-2.

UAH is 0-4 all-time against North Dakota, meeting up in Grand Forks in 1989 and 2016. The series four years ago went 1-0 and 4-1 in favor of UND, which was ranked No. 2 at the time.

The Chargers return home next weekend against Bemidji State.

This week in the WCHA: All times Central.

Friday, January 3
UAH at #1 North Dakota, 7:37 p.m.
* Northern Michigan at #11 Bowling Green, 5:07 p.m.
* Ferris State at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.
* Alaska at #3 Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.

Saturday, January 4
UAH at #1 North Dakota, 7:07 p.m.
* Northern Michigan at #11 Bowling Green, 6:07 p.m.
* Ferris State at Bemidji State, 6:07 p.m.
* Alaska at #3 Minnesota State, 6:07 p.m.
* Lake Superior State at Alaska Anchorage, 8:07 p.m.
Michigan Tech at #17 Arizona State, 6:05 p.m.

Sunday, January 5
* Lake Superior State at Alaska Anchorage, 8:07 p.m.
Michigan Tech at #17 Arizona State, 6:05 p.m.