UAA hockey team ‘extremely excited’ to return to ice after 30-month pause

It’s been greater than 930 days since a hockey team representing the University of Alaska Anchorage took to the ice.

But there was no scarcity of task inside the program within the next months for the reason that Seawolves’ ultimate recreation — a 4-2 loss to the Minnesota State Mavericks on March 7, 2020.

The program used to be eradicated by means of University of Alaska Board of Regents as a cost-saving measure in September 2020, reinstated in August 2021 and now sits at the cusp of returning to play.

UAA kicks off its season with an exhibition domestic recreation at 7 p.m. Friday towards Simon Fraser on the Seawolf Sports Complex.

Seawolves first-year head trainer Matt Shasby stated the team is predictably delighted to return to pageant. The team will grasp the Green & Gold Game on Saturday at 3 p.m. sooner than beginning the season in complete by means of web hosting Western Michigan subsequent weekend.

“The players are extremely excited,” he stated. “Our freshmen are excited to play college hockey for the first time and I think all of our transfers are excited to establish themselves as legitimate Division I hockey players. That’s what we’re looking for.”

But not like earlier incarnations of the Seawolves, this team is totally new and novel, made up of transfers and incoming beginners who haven’t performed in combination.

“It’s super unique,” senior goalie Joey Lamoreaux stated. “There’s nothing like this out there. Everyone’s bringing different pieces of the puzzle from what they’ve learned from other teams or their schools or in juniors so everyone’s kind of bring their own knowledge and bringing it together to Anchorage.”

While the team has been working towards for 3 weeks and has put in some generic methods, this weekend will actually be a proving floor for the avid gamers, in accordance to Shasby.

“Every kid is starting out with a clean slate,” he stated. “Typically if you’re coming back whether it’s your second year, third year, fourth year in college hockey, the coach has a predetermined opinion and has a slated spot for you. We preach these kids from day one is every position is open, whether it’s first line through fifth line or starting goaltender.”

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He stated expects the team to have a blue-collar paintings ethic however the Seawolves do have ability with 15 Division I avid gamers they recruited for his or her return season.

“When fans show up and they watch us play, they’re gonna appreciate the style of hockey, we’re gonna play,” he stated. “We’re not going to back down from anybody and just have a ton of grit a ton of pace to our game. I think the fans are going to enjoy watching.”

With their standing cemented, Shasby stated the Seawolves hope to determine a hyperlink to the town’s hockey fan base and broaden long-term connections.

“The hockey community, I think, is extremely excited for (Friday) night,” he stated. “It’s been a huge hole within our community, just having something to go to and watch hockey at its highest level. And I think when people come (Friday) night they’re going to realize how incredible of a product college hockey is. We’re trying to reestablish those fans for the next generation young hockey players and young families.”

Lamoreaux, a Wisconsin local who performed at St. Cloud State (Minn.) stated the avid gamers already have a variety of group comments since they arrived on the town.

“People are noticing … and they’re super excited to have hockey back here in Anchorage,” he stated “That brings even more excitement to us to you know, to one win for them.”

The Seawolves return as a Division I impartial after their longer term as a member of the now-defunct Western Collegiate Hockey Association. So Shasby stated the Seawolves will flip to their in-state rival, UAF, to use as a measuring stick this season.

The two groups play six video games, together with a home-and-home sequence in the midst of December and a 3rd sequence in overdue January with each and every team web hosting a recreation.

“Early on it’s just to establish ourselves as being competitive on a variety of levels within college hockey,” Shasby stated. “Ideally, we’re building for that Governor’s Cup right before Christmas. And that’s our probably our No. 1 goal is to win the Governor’s Cup this year and try and create an instant rivalry, reestablish the rivalry with Fairbanks.”

In general, the team could have 13 domestic video games after this weekend on the Seawolf Sports Complex.

“I’m extremely excited,” Shasby stated. “I tell everybody I see, ‘We’re gonna have the best 800-seat arena in college hockey.’ ”