The UAH bench celebrates the 4-2 win over NMU on Feb. 4. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photography)

It’s no secret that UAH will be underdog going into the WCHA quarterfinal series at Northern Michigan.

If the regular season was any indication, however, an upset is not out of the question.

“We like our matchup,” UAH head coach Mike Corbett said. “This is a team we’ve played 2-2, so we feel good about that. Unfortunately, games aren’t played on paper, but you know we can feel confident going into that weekend, knowing that this is a team we’ve beaten in the past.”

UAH and NMU played series in both Marquette and Huntsville this season, and both were splits. Each team had a one-goal win and a two-goal win, underscoring how close the matchups have been.

In Marquette back in December, UAH had a 1-0 lead before losing 3-1, but rebounded the next night with a 3-2 victory.

“We were able to get a win out here and keep the game close here, but we are going to have to be able to get more shots on goal,” Corbett said.

Northern Michigan has a corps of dangerous scorers. Robbie Payne leads the Wildcats with 20 goals, and two others have 17, Troy Loggins and Darien Craighead. Centering on Loggins’ line is Adam Rockwood, who has 30 assists this season.

“The toughest thing is that they have good depth up front with Payne, Loggins, and Rockwood,” Corbett said. “They’ve got some guys who can definitely score up front. The biggest thing is being able to try to contain those guys. In the playoffs, your top players have got to be your top players. They’ve been banking on those guys all year and they’ve been coming through. We’ve got to be able to force their secondary guys to be able to score for them. That’s the biggest challenge for us.”

UAH will need big contributions from its top players as well, and that means Josh Kestner (21 goals) and Tyler Poulsen (nine goals and 15 assists).

“Their goaltender (Atte Tolvanen) has been an all-league goaltender and we’re going to have to be able to get to him,” Corbett said.

Kestner is one of six seniors who played in the Chargers’ last playoff series in 2015. In addition, Richard Buri, Cody Champagne, Max McHugh, Brandon Parker, and Brennan Saulnier were all freshmen who got playoff experience at Michigan Tech. UAH lost 1-0 in triple overtime and 3-0 in that series.

“(The seniors) have been on the stage,” Corbett said. “We had the three overtime game with Michigan Tech and I think they understand what it take to be able to play in the playoffs. Everything is magnified and everything’s going to be a little bit tighter and mistakes are magnified.

“It’s going to be interesting to see how dialed in we are at practicing certain things that we need to be able to work on. Their leadership is going to be important because they were the only group that played in the playoffs on our team.”

The Chargers will leave Wednesday night for Marquette by bus. They will stop for practice along the way. It’s a long trip (22 hours), and once again the Chargers will have to manage the fatigue.

“We’be been fatigued since our road trip,” Corbett said, referring to the stretch of 12 straight road games and three-week trip through Bemidji and Alaska around New Year’s. “It’s been tough for us to be able to put together back to back consistent efforts.

“We’re taking a 22-hour bus ride up to Northern Michigan and now we’ve got to be able to once again manage those levels of fatigue. The good thing is we get to take a few extra players and make sure that we’re putting the freshest guys on the ice we can.”

Jeffers committed for next season
By Asher Kitchings

UAH recently received another commitment for the 2018-2019 season. Jack Jeffers, a 6-foot-0, 180-pound forward from Oakville, Ontario, who is currently playing for the Markham Royals of the OJHL, will be joining forwards Tyr Thompson, Ben Allen, and Bauer Neudecker, and defensemen Drew Lennon, in the incoming recruiting class.

Jeffers was a teammate of current Charger Christian Rajic last season, and has really put everything together this year. He’s got four years of junior hockey under his belt, exceptional speed, and offensive instincts, which should allow him to acclimate to the college game quicker than most. More of a playmaker than a pure goal-scorer, Jeffers has put up 78 points in 53 games this season — well over a point per game.

As someone who was on NHL Central Scouting’s radar during his draft year, Jeffers is a welcome addition to this already strong crop of legitimate D-I recruits.

For a preview of this kid’s skillset, check out this short clip of a goal he scored in 2016 CJHL Top Prospects Game:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wto9xYOyE8[/embedyt]

‼️COMMITMENT ALERT‼️The Royals are proud to announce that @jack_jeffers has committed to the NCAA D1's Alabama-Huntsville Chargers!! Congratulations Jack! #GRG👑 pic.twitter.com/mt2DN0QpL4

— X – Markham Royals (@MarkhamRoyals) February 13, 2018

The Chargers will be the seventh seed in the WCHA playoffs, and will travel to second-seeded Northern Michigan for the best-of-3 quarterfinals.

The series begins Friday at the Berry Events Center in Marquette, Michigan. Game 2 is Saturday, and game 3, if necessary, is Sunday. All games are scheduled to start at 6:07 p.m. Central Time.

The Chargers and Wildcats split their four meetings this season. In Marquette on Dec. 1-2, NMU won 3-1 and UAH won 3-2, and in Huntsville on Feb. 3-4, NMU won 4-3 and UAH won 4-2.

UAH is in the WCHA playoffs for the second time since joining the conference five years ago, and the first time since 2015. That year, UAH, also the seventh seed, went to Michigan Tech and was swept by scores of 1-0 (in triple overtime, the longest game in UAH history) and 3-0.

The other WCHA quarterfinal pairings are: #8 Alaska at #1 Minnesota State; #6 Ferris State at #3 Bowling Green; #5 Michigan Tech at #4 Bemidji State.

The best-of-3 semifinals will be held Feb. 9-11 and the WCHA Championship Game will be Feb. 17 at the highest remaining seeds.

Eight will be playing their final games at the Von Braun Center as UAH Chargers this weekend. They will be honored before Saturday afternoon’s home finale for Senior Night against Bowling Green.

Richard Buri (Nitra, Slovakia) has six goals and eight assists for 14 points in 101 games as a defenseman. Buri has a career-best 39 blocks this season for a total 134 in his career.  Buri made the WCHA all-academic team in 2015-16 and was a WCHA scholar-athlete in 2016-17.

Cody Champagne (Brookfield, Conn.) has played 128 games as a defenseman. He has two goals and seven assists in his UAH career. Champagne leads this year’s team with 53 blocked shots, with a four-year total of 155. Champagne made the WCHA all-academic team in 2015-16 and was a WCHA scholar athlete in 2016-17.

Josh Kestner (Huntsville, Ala.) has 40 career goals at UAH, the sixth most in the Chargers’ modern Division I era. Twenty of those have come this season, the most in 13 years, to lead the WCHA. Kestner, an alternate captain, leads UAH in goals and points for the second straight season. Kestner made the WCHA all-academic team in 2015-16 and was a WCHA scholar-athlete in 2016-17.

Captain Max McHugh (Edgewood, Wash.) has 28 goals and 39 assists for 67 points in his UAH career. McHugh led the Chargers in scoring in his freshmen and sophomore years with 23 and 22 points, respectively. McHugh made the all-WCHA rookie team in 2014-15, when he set the UAH modern Division I record for goals by a freshman with a team-leading 12. McHugh is a three-time WCHA scholar athlete.

Brandon Parker (Faribault, Minn.) has played 134 games at UAH, fifth all-time. The defenseman has nine goals and 40 assists for 49 career points. This season, the alternate captain has six assists. Parker has blocked a total of 213 shots. He is a three-time WCHA scholar-athlete.

Tyler Poulsen (Arvada, Colo.) is a junior who will be finishing his eligibility with a breakout season, tallying 14 assists (leading the team) and 23 points (second on the team). Poulsen has career totals of 15 goals and 20 assists for 35 points in 83 games played.

Brennan Saulnier (Halifax, Nova Scotia) has 21 goals and 34 assists for 55 points in four years at UAH, including a career-best eight goals this season. He was named the WCHA offensive player of the month for October 2015 for scoring six goals in five games. Saulnier has 325 penalty minutes, fifth all-time at UAH.

Jordan Uhelski (Flint, Mich.) has become one of the WCHA’s top goaltenders this season. Taking over the No. 1 job in his junior year, Uhelski has a goals against average of 2.88 (fifth all-time at UAH, second in the modern Division I era) and a .909 save percentage (fifth all-time and third in the D-I era) in 50 games played. Uhelski made the WCHA all-academic team in 2015-16 and was a WCHA scholar-athlete in 2016-17.

Individual photos by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photography. Seniors photo by Doug Eagan/UAH Athletics.

Thomas goes to Washington: UAH assistant coach Matty Thomas will become the new hockey director and under-18 coach of the Washington Little Capitals, the youth club announced on Friday.

Thomas has spent the last five seasons as an assistant to head coach Mike Corbett and the Chargers, coaching defensemen and penalty kill units.

Blue Line Club luncheon: The last Blue Line Club luncheon of the season will be this Friday at noon in the Varsity Room at Spragins Hall. Several UAH seniors and coach Mike Corbett will discuss this weekend’s final home series against Bowling Green. Terranova’s will be catering.

Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photography

A win and they’re in. That’s what the Chargers can do to clinch a playoff spot this weekend when they host Bowling Green at the Von Braun Center.

Here’s what we know about the WCHA playoff picture heading into the final week of the regular season:

• Minnesota State needs just one point against Bemidji State to win the MacNaughton Cup as regular season champion and take the No. 1 seed.
• Northern Michigan and Bowling Green will also host quarterfinal series.
• The 4-5 matchup is set: Bemidji State will host Michigan Tech in the quarterfinals.

That leaves playoff spots six through eight up for grabs. For more detail on all the WCHA races, including probabilities, check out The WCHA Playoff Prediction Blog.

^ 3-on-3/shootout points after ties.

The Chargers are fighting Alaska, Ferris State, and Lake Superior State for the three remaining playoff spots. UAH and Alaska are tied for 6th with 30 points, Ferris State is in 8th with 28 points, and Lake Superior State is currently on the outside looking in with 27 points.

UAH only needs to finish ahead of one of those teams to make the playoffs.

Alaska hosts rival Alaska Anchorage, which is in 10th and eliminated from contention. Lake Superior State goes to Ferris State.

That LSSU and FSU play each other is important. If either team sweeps the other, the swept team can’t catch UAH, no matter what the Chargers do against Bowling Green.

If Ferris State and Lake Superior State split and UAH doesn’t get any points, then the Chargers are eliminated. FSU would have more points (31 to 30), and LSSU (who would tie UAH at 30 points) would win the “C” tiebreaker for having fewer conference losses (16 to 17).

But if UAH gets two points or more, it would be impossible for both FSU and LSSU to surpass the Chargers.

In summary, the Chargers are in if:

• UAH gets two points or more against Bowling Green OR
• Ferris State gets four points or more against Lake Superior OR
• Lake Superior gets four points or more against Ferris State.

Or in even simpler terms: UAH gets a win, or Lake Superior and Ferris State do not split.

What about Alaska? Currently the Nanooks have the exact same conference record and points as the Chargers, and Alaska and UAH split the only two games played head-to-head. Alaska is thus in a similar situation: Lance West’s club needs only two points to secure a playoff berth, which is likely against Alaska Anchorage. Alaska has already beaten its hated rival four times (two conference and two non-conference) by a combined score of 19-8.

If the Chargers and Nanooks remain tied after the final games are played, Alaska would likely surpass UAH all the way at the “E” tiebreaker, which is points percentage against each WCHA team starting at the top. Alaska has a win over first-place Minnesota State, and UAH went 0-4 against MSU.

It should be an exciting final weekend in the WCHA, which, because not all teams make the conference tournament, sets itself apart from the other leagues in Division I.

WCHA final regular-season week schedule (all time Central):

Friday, Feb. 23
Bowling Green at UAH, 6:07 p.m.
Lake Superior State at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
Michigan Tech at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
Bemidji State at Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.
Alaska Anchorage at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 24
Bowling Green at UAH, 3:07 p.m.
Lake Superior State at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
Bemidji State at Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.
Alaska Anchorage at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.

Josh Kestner battles with Minnesota State’s Daniel Brickley. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photography)

The Chargers have more work to do to get into the WCHA playoffs, but for now, all we can do is watch.

Despite being swept by Minnesota State this weekend, UAH remains in sixth place in the league standings as Alaska was also swept by Northern Michigan and Ferris State was idle.

The top eight make the conference playoffs, with the top four hosting best-of-3 quarterfinal series.p

UAH is off next weekend. The Chargers host Bowling Green on Feb. 23-24 to finish the regular season, looking to get back into the WCHA playoffs for the first time since 2015.

Here’s what we know about the WCHA playoff picture with two weeks left in the regular season:

• Northern Michigan, Minnesota State, and Bowling Green have clinched home-ice in the first round. One of these three will hoist the MacNaughton Cup as regular season champion.
• Bemidji State and Michigan Tech have clinched playoff berths. These two are battling to have home-ice in the first round.
• UAH, Alaska, Ferris State, and Lake Superior State are battling for the last three playoff spots.
• Alaska Anchorage is eliminated from playoff contention.

Our focus is on the Chargers, so let’s see what’s left for them and the three teams they are jostling with:

^ 3-on-3/shootout points after ties.

During the Chargers’ off week, UAH fans should root for Bemidji State (I know, I know) over Alaska and Minnesota State over Ferris State. We don’t know what UAH needs to stay ahead of Alaska and Ferris State until those series are played.

However, we have more certainty with Lake Superior State also idle this week. We only need UAH to finish ahead of one of these teams, and with UAH and LSSU only having two games left, we know that UAH gets in with these scenarios:

• UAH gets at least four points against Bowling Green.
• Ferris State gets at least four points against Lake Superior.

There’s a chance UAH gets in with only three points against Bowling Green, but both games would have to be ties AND Lake Superior cannot sweep Ferris State.

Josh Kestner gets a shot off against NMU. (Photo by Todd Thompson / RiverCat Photography)

Sunday’s 4-2 win over Northern Michigan was a critical step toward the Chargers going back to the WCHA playoffs for the first time since 2015.

The victory vaulted UAH back into sixth place with 30 points and four games to go. They are one point ahead of seventh-place Alaska and two points ahead of eighth-place Ferris State. The top eight go to the playoffs.

UAH is nine points clear of ninth-place Lake Superior State, which stayed alive with an unexpected sweep at Bemidji State last weekend. Lake Superior also has four games to play.

(How big was Lake Superior winning that series? If Bemidji State had swept, UAH would have clinched a spot already and the eight-team playoff field would have been determined save for seeding.)

UAH’s magic number to clinch a WCHA playoff spot is four points. This means if UAH earns four points, Lake Superior State gives four points, or any combination thereof totals four points, the Chargers will be in the WCHA playoffs.

The Chargers host fifth-ranked Minnesota State this weekend, while Lake Superior State goes to last-place Alaska Anchorage. Both teams are off next week. UAH hosts Bowling Green and Lake Superior State is at Ferris State in the final week of the regular season (Feb. 23-24).

Where UAH finally lands as anyone’s guess. The Chargers could finish as high as fourth — which would mean playing at home in the quarterfinals — but UAH would need a lot of help to catch and surpass both Michigan Tech and Bemidji State (which has two games in hand).

20: Josh Kestner scored his 19th and 20th goals of the season on Sunday, becoming the first Charger to score 20 or more since Bruce Mulherin and Jared Ross did it in the 2004-05 season.

Kestner has a chance to break the UAH modern Division I era record for goals in a season, which is 24 set by Mulherin in 2004-05. He could also break the modern D-I era record for goals by a senior, which is 22 set by Ross, also in 2004-05.

Kestner also has scored 40 goals in his UAH career, the sixth Charger in the modern Division I era to do so. (The record is 73 by Jared Ross from 2001-05.)

4.0: Ted Rotenberger and John Teets represented the hockey team among the 64 student-athletes honored for earning a 4.0 GPA in the fall or spring semester in 2017.

The athletes were recognized Monday at Spragins Hall during halftime of the Charger men’s basketball game.

300: Sunday’s victory was the 300th varsity win at the Von Braun Center. Since the first varsity season of 1985-86, UAH is 300-178-36 at home.

Blue Line Club luncheon: There will be a Blue Line Club luncheon this Friday at noon in the Varsity Room at Spragins Hall. Several UAH seniors and coach Mike Corbett will discuss this weekend’s series against Minnesota State. Bojangles’ will be catering.

Senior forward Brennan Saulnier will miss a total of four games after an accumulation of game misconduct penalties and a two-game suspension handed down by the WCHA on Monday.

Saulnier checked Bemidji State forward Myles Fitzgerald from behind into the boards 33 seconds into UAH’s 5-1 loss on Saturday. Saulnier got a five-minute major and a game misconduct, his third of the season, which by NCAA rule results in a one-game suspension.

Saulnier was assessed a game disqualification penalty for abuse of officials, which is another one-game suspension.

On Monday, after review, the WCHA determined that the “hit was delivered in a manner that warranted” a two-game suspension, for a total of four games. This is Saulnier’s fourth suspension by the league in his UAH career and second this season.

Saulnier will miss home series against Northern Michigan on Feb. 3-4, and Minnesota State on Feb. 9-10. He will be eligible to return for the regular-season final series at home against Bowling Green (Feb. 23-24).

Saulnier has scored eight goals this season, tied for second most on the team. His 14 points are tied for third.

The Chargers get their last eight regular season home games at home. (UAH Athletics)

John Denver sang, “Hey, it’s good to be back home again.” For the Chargers, the Von Braun Center probably does feel like a long lost friend.

The Chargers have completed a stretch of six road series over seven weeks, including a three-week continuous trip from Bemidji, Minnesota, to Fairbanks, Alaska, to Anchorage, Alaska.

UAH finished the grueling 12-game swing with 3-8-1 record, which isn’t great. UAH did finish with wins in the last two series in Alaska, coming out of it in sixth place in the WCHA standings.

The Chargers came home Sunday and took three days off to rest, resuming normal practice on Thursday. This is a bye week before an eight-game home stand to finish the regular season.

The home stand starts Friday, Jan. 26, against Bemidji State.

The bye week is surely welcome, as the Chargers were fighting the injury bug near the end of the trip. Freshman winger Andrew Dodson was out most of the road trip, and sophomore forward Brandon Salerno missed the series at Anchorage.

“We got banged up along the way,” Corbett said. “Physically, we were pretty good towards the end of the road trip, for the guys who were able to play. I think it’s more mental health than anything. We need to get away from each other for a little bit.”

Sophomore winger Jordan Larson returned to action last Friday at Anchorage after missing the first 24 games of the season due to an ankle injury. But he left the second game Saturday with a concussion.

“It was unfortunate for Jordan, because he wasn’t 100 percent by any means conditioning wise, but his ankle felt very good and we were down a forward,” Corbett said. “He was comfortable enough to be able to go out there and play and he had some dynamite scoring chances.”

Then it seemed everyone got sick. Tyler Poulsen missed a couple of games in Alaska. Connor Merkley left after the first period on Saturday in Anchorage.

“I like the resolve of our group because we were able to do that,” Corbett said. “We finished one game with roughly two lines and an extra Saturday against Fairbanks (a 3-1 win), and we were able to get points in that game. We had literally seven forwards to play with in Anchorage on Friday (a 4-2 win).

“I was impressed by our conditioning. I was impressed by our actual energy levels physically coming down the stretch in that last week of the road trip.”

So the Chargers will get a chance to heal, and they may get an extra boost when they take the ice against Bemidji with the return of senior captain Max McHugh. McHugh also hasn’t suited up this season because of an injury, but he was scheduled to join the optional skate on Wednesday. Corbett is optimistic that he’ll be able to help down the stretch.

While the Chargers do get the rest of the regular season at home with four series in five weeks, it won’t be easy.  All four opponents are in the top four of the WCHA standings: Bemidji State (4th), Northern Michigan (2nd), Minnesota State (1st), and Bowling Green (3rd). The Chargers faced those four opponents on the road before going to Alaska, going 1-6-1.

“The goal is to get as many guys as healthy as possible,” Corbett said. “These are going to be well-earned points. These are teams that have come into our building and done well, so we have to be as prepared as we can. We don’t want to have it come down to that last weekend against Bowling Green.

“We played well in our past stretch at home (3-2-1 back in November), so we’d like to feel we’re coming into our friendly confines, and what better challenge is there than to play the top teams in the league to be able to solidify your playoff position.”

Goaltending has been solid for UAH, even when the scoring has been inconsistent. Jordan Uhelski has been in goal for all eight wins this season, but freshman backup Mark Sinclair has been making strides even if his statistics don’t bear it out.

“As much as Mark’s record and his numbers don’t look great, he’s played well,” Corbett said. “He deserved a better fate on Friday in Fairbanks (3-2 loss).”

“I have no qualms with our goaltending. Obviously, Jordan’s our go-to guy right now. Jordan has kept us in games and he’s given us a chance to win every night, and that’s all we can ask. Some nights we’re scoring, and some night’s we’re not.

“Our biggest thing right now is we’ve got to finish. In Fairbanks, we don’t finish on Friday, and we do on Saturday. We played a better game on Friday than we did on Saturday, but we finished on Saturday.”

Kestner for Hobey: For the second straight year, Josh Kestner is on the initial list of Hobey Baker Award nominees. Fan voting has begun on Facebook.

Kestner is 13th in Division I in goals per game (0.62). He is tied for 10th in power play goals with six. Overall, he has 16 goals this season, already the most by a Charger in 11 years. Fourteen have come in WCHA play, tops in the league.

“Josh has taken steps every year,” Corbett said. “As much as people see, what they have to understand is Josh has taken off more off the ice, physically in the weight room and things like that. He’s matured that way off the ice and it’s shown on the ice.

“He’s at the top of everybody’s scouting report, the guy that people are trying to stop. The biggest key for an offensive player and a guy like Josh who is a shooter is to be able to find ways to get open, to put himself in position where he’s going to get a shot off and put the puck where he wants to put it. He’s learned to move well without the puck.”

“He has to have a good stretch, not only for himself, but for our team. He’s a guy we’re going to rely on, but we’re also going to need some other guys to chip in from an offensive standpoint.”

Overtime talks: The Wisconsin State Journal last week reported that a standard overtime format across all conference is being debated. However, there is no consensus.

Currently, all NCAA games have a 5-on-5 sudden death overtime period if it is tied after regulation. If neither team scores, the result is a tie.

In the western leagues (WCHA, Big Ten, NCHC), games continue to determine which team gets an extra point in the league standings, even though the game is still officially a tie. The WCHA and NCHC play five minutes of 3-on-3 and, if needed, a sudden-death shootout. The Big Ten uses a three-round shootout only.

The eastern leagues (Hockey East, ECAC, Atlantic Hockey) do nothing: When 5-on-5 overtime ends, they go home.

Corbett, who is on the Division I championships committee, said overtime was a topic of discussion over the summer. The NCAA tournament field is based on the Pairwise rankings. A component of the Pairwise is the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), which basically “shuts off” once the 5-on-5 overtime period is over.

Corbett said there is concern among college coaches should the NCAA adopt the NHL system, which uses a 3-on-3 overtime right after regulation. “I think college coaches are afraid that then all of a sudden they’re going to turn the RPI back on on the five minutes of 3-on-3. And they don’t want RPI points being given from a gimmick.”

This is the second year the WCHA adopted the three-point conference game system with an additional 3-on-3 overtime and shootout, and Corbett says it is good.

“It’s a little bit about the fan experience when it comes with 3-on-3 and the shootout. I like it. You know you’re getting points, it’s a little strategic and makes you work harder as a coach, thinking a bit more about who you’re putting out there. And you’re going to see that it’s going to make a difference at the end of the year.”

This week in the WCHA: All times are Central. Games featuring WCHA teams at home can be seen on WCHA.tv.

Friday, Jan. 19
* Bemidji State at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
* Alaska at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
* Lake Superior State at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
* Alaska Anchorage at #17 Bowling Green, 6:37 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 20
* Bemidji State at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
* Alaska at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
* Lake Superior State at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
* Alaska Anchorage at #17 Bowling Green, 6:07 p.m.
#9 Minnesota State at #3 St. Cloud State, 5:07 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 23
#14 Minnesota Duluth at #9 Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.

Jordan Uhelski made 36 saves against Minnesota State on Friday, raising his save percentage to .906 on the season. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photography)

Next up is a trip unprecedented, but also not.

The Chargers visit Bemidji State for their next series on Dec. 29-30. After that, they fly directly from Bemidji, Minnesota, to Alaska, where they have a series at Fairbanks on Jan. 5-6. Then they will bus down to Anchorage to face the Seawolves on Jan. 12-13. Then they can finally return to Huntsville.

This is the first time since joining the WCHA that UAH will visit both Alaska teams in one trip. Including the visit to Bemidji, the Chargers will be literally out of town for nearly three weeks, which hasn’t happened before.

However, the program has seen this kind of trip before, albeit compressed. Instead of six games in three weeks, UAH twice played five games in one week during its first foray into Division I.

In 1989, UAH went to Wisconsin on Dec. 12, played at Anchorage on Dec. 15-16, and then Fairbanks on Dec. 18-19. The Chargers lost all five games.

In 1990, UAH first went to Minnesota on Dec. 12, then Anchorage on Dec. 14-15, and finally Fairbanks on Dec. 17-18. The Chargers went 1-4 on that trip, beating the Nanooks in the finale 6-3.

While UAH will have more time between games on this trip, it will still be a slog. It will be the last trip the Chargers will have for a while though: They will have an off week upon return to rest, then the last four series of the regular season will be at home.

Bemidji State is tied with UAH for sixth place in the WCHA standings, and the Alaska teams are behind the Chargers. Attaining at least a .500 record on this trip is plausible, and doing so will put UAH in prime position to clinch a spot back in the WCHA playoffs in that final home stand.

Saulnier suspended: The Chargers will start the long journey without Brennan Saulnier in the lineup. The WCHA on Monday issued a two-game suspension to Saulnier for his hit on Minnesota State’s Dallas Gerads in the last minute of Saturday’s 3-0 loss in Mankato.

Saulnier’s elbow made contact to Gerads’s head. Saulnier was given a game misconduct penalty when it occurred, and the league issued the additional punishment after reviewing the video.

This is the third suspension of his UAH career for Saulnier, who has a career-high seven goals this season.

Pro update: Cam Talbot (2007-10) has been strong for the Edmonton Oilers since returning from injury reserve. Talbot, who missed two weeks with an upper-body injury, has stopped 52 of 57 stops against Minnesota and San Jose in his last two starts. He has a 2.96 goals against average and .903 save percentage in 24 starts this season.

Matt Salhany (2013-17) was traded from the Reading Royals to the South Carolina Stingrays in the ECHL on Dec. 5. He has played a combined seven games between the two teams. Carmine Guerriero (2013-17) started the season with the Stingrays, but he was let go after starting one game between the pipes. He stopped 30 of 31 shots against Orlando on Nov. 26.

Cody Dion (2010-11) is in his third season with the Peoria Rivermen of the SPHL. He has 13 points in 16 games, with one of his six goals coming against the Huntsville Havoc on Dec. 9.

Matt Larose (2013-17) and Graeme Strukoff (2011-15) are teammates in Slovakia, playing for HC Detva.

To keep up where former Chargers are playing in the pros, please visit our Chargers in the Pros page.