I don't know what first-year bench boss Dallas Ferguson is doing up there in Fairbanks with the UAF Nanooks, but suffice to say he should keep on keeping on.

The Nanooks beat Lake Superior State 4-1 on Friday, and they have now allowed a mere 18 goals in 13 games on the way to an 8-4-1 overall record and a 6-3-0 mark in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association that has them tied for third place.

Senior goaltender Chad Johnson stopped 23 shots from the visiting Lakers tonight. All he owns is a 6-4-1 record, a 1.63 goals-against average (seventh nationally) and a .941 save percentage (ninth). UAF allows just 1.38 goals per game, third-fewest in the nation and its penalty-killing unit ranks 11th nationally at 91.0-percent efficiency.

With UAA (7-5-2, 4-4-2 WCHA) likewise off to a great start, and a No. 19 ranking, it's beginning to look like the annual Governor's Cup (Feb. 27 in Fairbanks, Feb. 28 in Anchorage) could really provide particularly entertaining battles.