Woody on Hockey

Alaska is hockey heaven -- the Alaska Aces are perennial ECHL contenders, the UAA Seawolves play in the nation's premier college league and NHL star Scott Gomez headlines a contingent of pros. Join the conversation about the Aces and Alaska hockey with Doyle Woody, who has covered the game here at all levels for 27 years.

Contact: dwoody@adn.com


Aces vs. Idaho

Matt Stefanishion of the Alaska Aces, left, collides with Ashton Rome of the Idaho Steelheads during second-period action Friday evening October 30, 2009 at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage, Alaska. Idaho claimed a 5-3 win in ECHL action.

Idaho defeats the Aces 5-3 Friday evening October 30, 2009 at Sullivan Arena.

Aces vs. Kings

The Alaska Aces host the Victoria Salmon Kings in their 2009 hockey season opener on Friday October 16, 2009 at the Sullivan Arena.

It's A Small, Small Hockey World (Just Ask Kris Tebbs And Kevin Nastiuk) - 11/20/2009 4:09 pm

On The Matt Robinson Merry-Go-Round: Back To Johnstown - 11/20/2009 3:49 pm

Brett Hemingway Lands With CHL Arizona (Debuted Tonight) - 11/19/2009 7:22 pm

Ex-UAF Blueliner Eckford Makes NHL Debut (Plus, Notes On UAA And UAF Players Who Made NHL) - 11/19/2009 6:55 pm

ECHL Cincy Picks Up Matt Robinson - 11/19/2009 2:43 pm

Former Eagle River Skater Nick Curry Headed To UMass-Lowell - 11/18/2009 8:44 pm

AHL Updates (Stefanishion, Johnson, Crowder, Mat Robinson, Lamoureux) - 11/18/2009 6:43 pm

Former Nanook Blueliner Eckford Called Up To NHL (Plus, Fun Draft Facts & UAA-Aces-Alaska Connections) - 11/18/2009 4:26 pm

On The Good-News, Bad-News Front, We Go Mat Robinson-Matt Robinson - 11/18/2009 3:49 pm

Glencross Returns From Suspension - 11/18/2009 9:38 am

Ovechkin's Return Is The Big News, But Former UAA Center Jay Beagle Is Back In The NHL - 11/17/2009 3:15 pm

Stefanishion Promoted To Peoria - 11/17/2009 9:26 am

Easy, There, Cowbell Crew: Aces On Same Pace As Last Season - 11/16/2009 4:13 pm

Nanooks Fall One Spot To No. 10 - 11/16/2009 11:17 am

Former Nanook Eckford AHL Player Of The Week - 11/16/2009 10:24 am

Former Nanooks Flourishing In AHL (Johnson, Eckford, Penner) - 11/14/2009 6:52 pm

Gutierrez Getting His Game In Gear (ECHL Notes) - 11/14/2009 6:35 pm

UAA On TV: Um, Sometimes - 11/14/2009 5:38 pm

Hey, Cowbell Crew: You're Welcome To Vent Here On The Aces' Run Of Injuries - 11/13/2009 11:07 pm

Aces Release Brett Hemingway - 11/12/2009 3:25 pm

Our Man Justin Bourne Pumps Davis Payne's Tires - 11/12/2009 10:31 am

Our Man Gino Guyer Pays A Visit - 11/12/2009 10:18 am

UAA's Freshman Haven't Done Much

Comments (0) |

The transition from junior hockey to Division I is a big jump up, and so far for UAA's first-year forwards it looks like a leap they're struggling mightily to make.

UAA's five freshman forwards -- Alex Gellert (1-1--2 in 7 games), Mickey Spencer (0-1--1 in 6), Daniel Naslund (0-1--1 in 7), Mitch Bruijsten (0-0--0 in 7) and Chris Crowell (0-0--0 and -6 in 7) -- have combined for just one goal and three assists, and gone -12, in a combined 34 games.

On the back end, freshman defenseman Lee Baldwin has furnished three assists in seven games and freshman blueliner Drew Darwitz is without a point in six games.

So, in 47 combined games for UAA freshmen, they've chipped in just 1-6--7 totals. And, remember, Gellert and Baldwin are responsible for 1-4--5 of that.

That trend isn't likely to take the Seawolves to the promised land, otherwise known as home ice for the first round of the WCHA playoffs and a Final Five qualification. UAA (3-4-0, 1-2-0 WCHA) lost 5-1 at Minnesota on Friday, when junior Nick Haddad bagged the Seawolves' only goal, with assists from senior defenseman Trevor Hunt and sophomore defenseman Curtis Leinweber.

Seniors Kevin Clark and Josh Lunden, junior Tommy Grant and the rest of the upperclassmen can't carry the mail every night. So far, the Seawolves have used six senior skaters, six junior skaters, two sophomore skaters and seven freshmen skaters.

Here's the breakdown of UAA goals, assists and points by class entering Sunday's series finale at Minnesota.

Seniors (6 guys) -- 6 goals, 5 assists, 11 points in a combined 27 games.

Juniors (6) -- 7 goals, 10 assists, 17 points in a combined 38 games.

Sophomores (2) -- 1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points (all by Leinweber) in a combined 14 games.

Freshmen (7) -- 1 goal, 6 assists, 7 points in a combined 47 games.


By submitting your comment, you are agreeing to adn.com's user agreement.