Hockey captain Matt Bailey on the hot-handed Seawolves
The Seawolf hockey team is off to a hot start at 3-1, with big wins over #10 Quinnipiac and #12 Denver this year. Co-captain Matt Bailey is pacing the team with four goals heading into Western Collegiate Hockey Association play, and the senior co-captain took a moment to talk to the Northern Light about the Seawolves’ hot start.
TNL: You guys got off to a great start after some major offseason changes. How was this team able to come together so quickly?
Bailey: I think everyone was really excited coming into the season with all the new changes and Coach Matt (Thomas) is just a really motivational guy. It’s a good group of guys, a really close knit group and we’re playing within the system and it’s paying off so far.”
Photos from the 2013 Kendall Classic Hockey Tournament
Check out photos from the 2013 Kendall Classic Hockey Tournament where the Seawolves battled the the Falcons and Quinnipiac.
UAA Seawolves win third straight Kendall Classic
The 2013 Kendall Classic took place Oct. 11-12. Friday night’s games brought plenty of action as the University of Alaska Fairbanks opened the Kendall Classic against the Air Force Academy.
Updated: Thomas tabbed as UAA head hockey coach
After a prolonged and dramatic search, Matt Thomas has been chosen to spearhead the new era of Seawolf hockey. UAA vice chancellor Dr. Bill Spindle made the announcement Tuesday that Thomas landed the head coaching job.
Thomas comes to the program fresh off an appearance in the ECHL Finals as head coach of the Stockton Thunder. He’ll end his time in Stockton with a 163-127-39 record.
Matt Thomas tabbed as UAA hockey coach
After a prolonged and dramatic search, Matt Thomas has been chosen to spearhead the new era of Seawolf hockey. UAA vice chancellor Dr. Bill Spindle made the announcement Tuesday that Thomas landed the head-coaching job.
Thomas comes to the program fresh off an appearance in the ECHL Finals as head coach of the Stockton Thunder. He’ll end his time in Stockton with a 163-127-39 record.
Prior to the Thunder, Thomas was acting as both head coach and general manager of the ECHL’s Fresno Falcons.
First two hockey coach forums in the bag
The search to replace Dave Shyiak is in full effect. The first two candidates have officially wrapped up their public forums. Like athletic director Steve Cobb has stated before, the influence these events have on the upcoming decision is up in the air.
Search for new hockey coach down to final four
After a “rigorous search process” directed by Dr. Steve Cobb, the UAA Athletics Department has nailed its coaching choices down to four men: Chris Brown, Michael Corbett, Gary Heenan, and Damon Whitten.
Getting a player’s perspective on the Shyiak firing
On the heels of Dave Shyiak’s firing, I sat down with junior goaltender Rob Gunderson to gain a player’s perspective on the situation.
Behind the decision to fire Shyiak
A statement was released March 27 by UAA announcing that the head coach of the hockey team, Dave Shyiak, will be departing from the program.
UAA head hockey coach no longer with program
Hockey coach Dave Shyiak is parting ways with the Seawolves.
In a statement released Friday, the athletics department confirmed a search committee has been appointed and is considering national applicants to fill the position.
Governor’s Cup primer
The Governor’s Cup is here. The first game between the Seawolves and Nanooks will take place in Fairbanks, then the clubs will head to Anchorage to complete the two-game duel.
For the Seawolves, this is a chance to erase some bad memories of the 2013 season. The rivalry hasn’t reached Lakers-Celtics proportions, but taking out the Nanooks would lessen the blow of their disappointing year.
Previewing the Seawolves hockey matchup
The Seawolves will clash with the Colorado College Tigers Friday and Saturday night. This is an important set of games. They are opportunities for the green and gold to salvage what has turned into a disappointing season of hockey.
Seawolves rally for a tie with #14 MSU Mavericks
The Seawolf hockey team used a late game push Friday night to turn a potential 3-1 loss into a 3-3 tie with the 14th-ranked Minnesota State Mavericks.
Seawolves tie the No.2-ranked Golden Gophers
One does not often hear a herd of battle-prepared gophers howling at a pack of wild Seawolves, but the No. 2 ranked Golden Gophers from the University of Minnesota had every reason to whine Nov. 10 when the scoreboard read 2-2 at the end of the third period.
Seawolves take Kendall crown with a tie
The Seawolves won the Kendall Hockey Classic Saturday night by holding off the Air Force Falcons in an overtime nail biter.
After falling to an early 2-0 deficit, the Seawolves put up three unanswered goals. They held on to the 3-2 lead until the Falcons pushed in a goal with only .2 seconds left in regulation.
Hockey team adds eight rookies
The Seawolves welcome eight new players to their team for the 2012-2013 hockey season.
Meet the Seawolf: Chris Crowell
TNL's sports editor, Taylor Hall, gets the lowdown on one of UAA's stars on the ice, hockey player Chris Crowell, who will be playing his final year of hockey next year.
TNL: First off, congrats on becoming captain. Where and how did you get the news that you being named captain and what was your reaction?
Beavers spoil senior sendoff, sweep Seawolves
The UAA Hockey team played in two different types of games this past weekend against the Bemidji State Beavers. One was a low-scoring affair where scoring chances were at a premium. The other, a wide-open and high-scoring contest in which both teams had chances aplenty.
Slideshow: Shootout decides winner of Cup yet again
The Seawolves took on the Nanooks this weekend, beating them 3-2 Friday night but failing 3-1 in Fairbanks Saturday night.
In their Feb. 24 game, UAA started off slow but came forward with a barrage of shots in the second period. UAF was unable to stop their attacks, only scoring once more in the third period. After traveling to Fairbanks the Seawolves played Sat. 25 in the second Governor's Cup game.
Seawolves surrender to bad bounces lose pair at home to MSU
The UAA Hockey team got a cruel reminder of just how unfair the game of hockey can be this past weekend. A pair of fluke goals turned out to be the game winners for Minnesota State as they took a 3-2 win on Feb. 10.
UAA struggles return with pair of home losses to North Dakota
The UAA Seawolves ran into a band saw this past weekend and it has left them reeling once again searching for answers.
North Dakota used a pair of three-goal wins over the Seawolves at the Sullivan Arena to continue their recent return to winning form. While their winning streak grew to four straight and propelled them into a tie for fourth place in the WCHA, the host Seawolves remain in a tie for eleventh place with Minnesota State at five points in 12 league games.
Hat-trick hero lifts UAA to Kendall title
The UAA Seawolves treated fans to the school’s first Kendall Hockey Classic title since 2006 on Oct. 8 as well as the emotional rollercoaster they took to actually lift the championship gold pan when all was said and done.
College hockey realignment carousel keeps on spinning
The revolving door of the college hockey world saw another two teams relocate this past week to new conferences. Leaving the WCHA is the St. Cloud State Huskies, a program who had sated in the conference since the 1990-91season.
The Huskies are headed to the newly formed National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) after they received an official invite to join the new super-conference that had seen five WCHA teams commit to playing beginning in the 2013-14 season.
WCHA inducts new teams for the 2013-14 hockey season
After the devastating changeup in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) this past July, in which several top schools scheduled their departure from the conference, the program seems to be looking up.
In the last days of August, invitations were sent out to Alaska Fairbanks, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Superior State and Western Michigan.
New assistant hockey coach suits up
A man who knows all the in and outs of college athletics with be taking over as the new assistant UAA hockey coach.
T.J. Jindra...
Big Ten Hockey conference will have negative ripple effect
Throughout this college hockey season, there have been whispers of a new conference coming into existence, and reshaping the landscape of the current college hockey world. As the season progressed, those whispers grew more and more tumultuous until the official announcement transformed those whispers into ear-splitting realizations. On Mar. 21, the Big Ten Conference released plans for the formation of a six-team hockey conference that would commence play in the 2012-13 season.
UAA bounced out of WCHA postseason
-With collaboration from Patrick McCormick
The wave of momentum that the Seawolves rode into St. Paul, Minnesota and the WCHA Final Five Playoffs came crashing...
UAA-UAF split series, UAF wins shootout and cup
Two heated rivals, two electric atmospheres, two lopsided wins for home teams.
One heartbreaking way to see the Governor’s Cup leave town for the UAA...
‘Wolves look for revenge in 18th annual Governor’s Cup
Photo by Patrick McCormick
It’s time for the UAA Seawolves and UAF Nanooks to rekindle their rivalry and battle it out for the 18th annual...