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Alaska vs. Miami Series Notes 1-22-10]
FAIRBANKS, AK - This weekend the Nanooks play their first home series of 2010 against the No. 2 Miami Redhawks. Alaska will look to make the most of its home-ice advantage and build on the 5-2-3 record at the Carlson Center through the first half of the season. Here are this week's need to know notes about the Miami series and Alaska Hockey:
• Alaska trails Miami 13-31-4 in the all-time series and 7-12-2 in the Golden Heart City. In the last 10 meetings, the RedHawks have the narrow edge over the Nanooks, who trail 4-5-1 in those encounters.
• The last time Miami came to Fairbanks, they were rude guests as they swept Alaska 2-0 and 7-2 on Jan. 25-26, 2008. However, when the teams met last season in Oxford, the Nanooks came away with a series split, taking the first game 2-1 and dropping the second 5-0.
• Alaska suffered its worst loss of the season in Friday's 6-0 shutout at Michigan. The Nanooks had not allowed their opponents six goals since Jan. 31, 2009, when Ohio State defeated them 6-2 at the Carlson Center. It was also their worst let down on the road since Mar. 9, 2007, when Notre Dame beat them 7-1 in South Bend in the second round of the CCHA Playoffs.
• The Nanooks bounced back Saturday with a 3-3 tie and shootout win against Michigan, marking their first ever tie against Michigan through 47 encounters. The Blue and Gold are unbeaten in five shootouts this season, four of which earned valuable points in the CCHA standings.
• With Saturday's tie, the Blue and Gold extended their unbeaten streak to 5-0-3 on the season when they lead the game after two periods.
• Despite being held scoreless in his last three outings, FR F
Andy Taranto still leads CCHA rookies in scoring and is second among all league point-getters. He is second nationally for rookie points with 9-15-24 in 22 games.
• Alaska is one of just four teams left in NCAA Division I, who has not allowed a single short-handed goal this season. They are also one of eight teams left to yet score a goal while on the penalty-kill.
• Friday's loss at Michigan marked the first time in the 2009-10 season that Alaska lost a game after losing their previous encounter. The Nanooks are 4-1-2 following a loss, 2-1-1 after a tie and 3-5-2 following a win.
