Taranto and Enders Garner CCHA Weekly Honors

Taranto and Enders Garner CCHA Weekly Honors

FAIRBANKS, AK – Alaska Nanooks' freshman forward Andy Taranto (Woodridge, IL, Fargo (USHL)) and sophomore defenseman Scott Enders (Edmonton, AB, Lloydminster (AJHL)) have been named the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Rookie and Defenseman of the Week, respectively.

The pair combined for eight points in a weekend sweep of the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves that gave the Blue and Gold their first Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup title since 2005 and snapped UAA's three-year claim to the Cup.

Alaska's back-to-back victories against UAA marked their second sweep in as many weeks, extending the unbeaten streak to eight games (6-0-2) and helping them climb in the national hockey polls for the second consecutive week. The Nanooks jumped to No. 14 on this week's USCHO.com/CBS College Sports poll and No. 13 on the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll.

Taranto had a hat trick on Friday for his second three-goal night in a five-game span and then added two assists on Saturday. He leads the Nanooks offensively with 16-23-39. He is two points shy of tying the Nanooks single-season record for points by a freshman, which belongs to Andy Pokupec, who had 41 during the 1986-87 season.

He finished the regular season with 12-19-31 in 28 league games: good for first among rookies and fifth among all players. It marks his second such award in the past two weeks and is the third of his career.

Enders assisted on three Nanook goals over the weekend and had a +3 rating. He is third among Alaska defenseman for points this season with 2-8-10 and has more than doubled his offensive output from his rookie campaign.

It is his first CCHA Defensive Player of the Week honor and the first by an Alaska blueliner this season.

The No. 13/14 Nanooks, who finished fifth in the CCHA, take on the Western Michigan Broncos in the first round of the CCHA Playoffs this weekend (Mar. 5-7) at the Carlson Center. Playoff action begins Friday night at 7:05 p.m.
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