ANCHORAGE - The Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup comes to an end for the 2023-24 season this Saturday at Alaska Anchorage.

Saturday, Feb. 3
at Alaska Anchorage | 5:07 p.m.
Avis Alaska Sports Complex | Anchorage, Alaska

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Last Time Out
The Nanooks hockey team made it two-straight victories on Saturday morning with a 3-1 win over the LIU Sharks in New York. The 'Nooks victory improves them to 12-9-2 on the season and drops LIU to 10-16-1. 

Alaska opened up the scoring only 4:32 into the opening period. Brady Risk scored from just outside of the LIU net after T.J. Lloydfound the streaking Risk on the backdoor pass. The redirect made it 1-0 Nanooks and improved Risk's point-streak to five games. Caleb MacDonald tallied the secondary assist, his first of two points on the day. His second point came four minutes later when he, once again, assisted on a Nanooks goal. This time Chase Dubois found the back of the net while on the power-play. After an A.J. Macaulay shot was redirected out front of the LIU net, Dubois came up on the loose puck and fired a one-timer into the back of the net making it 2-0 'Nooks. His goal proved to be the game-winner, his second of the season, tying him with Harrison Israels and Brady Riskfor the team lead. 

The 2-0 lead stood until the second period when the Nanooks stretched their lead to 3-0 on Harrison Israels' fourth goal of the weekend and 16th of the season. After leaving the puck for Arvils Bergmanis on the blue-line, Bergmanis found Israels again at the point and after drifting in with the puck, the Nanooks' captain found the net from just outside the face-off circle. Israels is now tied for seventh in NCAA Division I with his 16 goals scored this season. 

Alaska would maintain their 3-0 lead into the third period before LIU got on the board 11:20 into the final period. Josh Zary found the back of the net cutting into the lead, making it 3-1 but that's all they would get as the Nanooks pulled out the victory. Alaska ended the night 1-8 on the power play while LIU was 1-4. Pierce Charleson finished the night with 12 saves on 13 attempts and on the weekend, he stopped 41 of 45 shots. Seven Nanooks recorded points as MacDonald and Risk led the way with two each.

#NookNotes

• The Nanooks come into Saturday's matchup ninth in the nation in faceoff win percentage and second among the Independent teams. They are winning at a 54% rate. Northeastern leads the nation at 55.4% and LIU leads Independent teams at 55.1%.
• Alaska's scoring offense is first in the Independent rankings at 3.43 - this is good enough for 15th in the nation. Denver leads the nation with a 5.00 goals per game clip. 
• The Nanooks are 11th in in team penalty minutes with 12.83 per game. That is fourth in the Independent ranks. Lindenwood is in the box for 16.36 minutes per game, good for the nation's lead as well. 
• Four short-handed goals is tops in the Independent ranks, tied with Lindenwood, and good for 11th in the nation. The Nanooks' SHG's have all been scored by four different skaters. 
• Their 23 power-play goals is good for 10th in the nation. Michigan has 38 on the season to lead the nation. LIU leads Independent teams with 33.
• Harrison Israels is eighth in the nation with a 0.70 goals per game rate. He now has 16 goals on the season, that is tied for ninth in the nation. 
• Brady Risk is 22nd in the nation with his 1.26 points per game rate. Anton Rubtsov follows in 51st with 1.00 point per game. 
• Harrison Israels is leading the Independent ranks with his one hat trick. He is tied with four others for the lead. He is also tied for third in the nation with his one. Sam Colangelo of Western Michigan and Will Gavin of Air Force both have two to lead the nation. 
• Israels is 11th in the nation with seven power-play goals. That is the third highest in Independent ranks. Brady Risk is fifth with four, putting him 45th in the national rankings. 

Raise the Cup
The Nanooks are 4-0-1 against the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves this season. They have already claimed their 13th-straight Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup and lifted the cup on their home ice following the team's 2-2 OTT/SOW on Jan. 13 in the Carlson Center. Not only did the Nanooks lift the cup, they unveiled the newest banner in the Carlson, a new Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup banner featuring the 2024 accomplishment. 

What's to Come
Alaska will return to the road following their one-game stint at UAA. They'll hit the road and head south to Tempe, Ariz. for a matchup with the Arizona State Sun Devils on Feb. 9-10 at Mullett Arena. The Nanooks are riding a hot streak against the Sun Devils; they are 7-0-1 in their last eight matchups with ASU dating back to Feb. 4, 2022. This will be the first of two times the teams meet. They'll play four total times with the second series coming in Fairbanks on Feb. 23-24. Between those matchups, the Nanooks will first return home on Feb. 16-17 as LIU comes to the 49th State to close out their 2023-24 season series with the 'Nooks. 

On March 1-2, the Nanooks will head to MIDCO Arena for the first-time ever and play Augustana for the second time this season. The two sides split in mid-December in Fairbanks. Alaska will end the regular-season on home-ice on Wednesday and Thursday, March 6-7 as they welcome Stonehill to town for the first-time ever. 

PairWise 
The Nanooks currently sit at No. 21 in the latest PairWise rankings (Friday, Feb. 2). Their win percentage ranking is currently 19th. Alaska Anchorage comes into Friday's PairWise rankings at No. 44. UAA is 7-14-2 on the season, their second season back.

USCHO/USA Hockey Polls
The Nanooks received two votes in the Jan. 28 USCHO.com National Top-20 Poll. In the USA Hockey/The Rink Live Men's College Poll, the Nanooks received three votes. 

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