SportsMonday, October 25, 1999 - The Michigan Daily - 3B
airbanks trades nuning
picks for hockey stic
By geoff Gagnon
Daily Sports Writer "That was one of the real reasonsI
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - With a decided to come. People just lov
lash of light and sound, the Alaska- hockey:"
Fairbanks hockey team was wel- That local love for hockey ha
*med on to the ice by a raucous helped the team garner support with
Carlson Center crowd. in Alaska. It also helped the Nanook
With that the Wolverines were wel- find a niche in the CCHA since th
comed to a phenomenon known as squad joined the league in the 1995
{hockey in Alaska' as they opened 96 season.
their two-game series with the "I wanted to come here to getr
Nmooks on Friday night. chance to compete with the CCHA
In a frenzied multi-media intro- Gadowski said. "It's the premie
duction event that boasted spotlights, hockey league in the country an
a nirror ball and an over-zealous offers our team a great challenge."
public address announcer with a pen- As one of the only varsity sport
chant for prolonged pronunciation, a teams competing in Division I, it's n
*irbanks crowd did its best to warm surprise that hockey has grown t
up a cold night. receive a great deal of local attention
From the outside the Carlson It's this support, coupled withe
Center, which stands in the shadow fair amount of attention, that ha
of the Goldstream Ridge on the helped create an involved and know
northeast side of town, beats back the edgeable fan base that Gadowsk
chill and snow common to the says he's come to enjoy.
Alaskan interior. On the inside the "Here the people really appreciat
building plays host to the highest and understand hockey more thai
level of organized hockey within 300 they did at other places I've been,
'ties of Alaska's second-biggest city. Gadowski said. "If you want to jump
d in a mid-Alaskan town with a start a program, this is the place t
love for the sport and virtually noth- come."
Ong else to do, Fairbanks hockey It's apparent that Gadowski and hi
takes center stage for most residents. staff are doing just that.
That's exactly why Fairbanks' With contests and give-away{
first,-year head coach Guy Gadowski throughout the game, as well asa
decided to come to the sleepy town dynamic celebration after each goa
built "dn the foundations of Alaskan set to thundering music, the Carlsoi
goldhines that sprung up here over a Center faithful is whipped intoa
century ego. spirited frenzy over a team that'
"When I first got to Fairbanks I been winning.
qasthrilled with how excited people Primarily a family event, Fairbank
ere for hockey," Gadowski said. hockey appeals to a variety of peo
Enticement ofCCH
y Stephanie Offen In order to join the C
Daily Sports Writer required to share the c
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Which one of these four Alaska. According to R
hockey teams doesn't belong? a) Michigan b) enough airfare to get tI
Michigan State c) Western Michigan or d) Alaska- coaches to Fairbanks and
t rahks. "At one point we pro
the answer, Alaska-Fairbanks, can and will be dis- said. "That was in our two
puted because after Friday's victory over Michigan, the to the conference. That m
Nandoks may have finally earned the respect of the play as many CCHA team
CCHA. playoffs if our record war
This season's wins over Michigan and Ohio State - Now, as an official me
teams that made it to the NCAA frozen four two sea- Nanooks play a majority o
sons ago - gave the Nanooks a chance to find their western foes. And it wou
niche within the conference. these travel expenses con
The task was not easily accomplished. After an Without a Nike or Adi
unsuccessful plea to enter the WCHA along with solely on corporate spon
aska-Anchorage, the Nanooks set their sights on the rink, fundraisers and dona
,HA. As an independent, Fairbanks was at risk of "Maybe we don't have
losing its hockey program until the CCHA agreed to and all the extra things,.
add the team to its currently expanding conference. can't use the resources t
'"The main reason (the CCHA) accepted us is that done,' Roselius said. "Bu
they saw if they didn't our hockey program would die," players go to Michigan an
Fairbanks sports information director Scott Roselius warm-ups with the swoos]
'said. "If they wouldn't have accepted us we couldn't So maybe the Nanooks
have continued to be a contender. The independents at the Michigan or Michigan
that.point were just dwindling and dwindling" do some other teams in th
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Alaska-Fairbanks 4, Michigan 2
Michigan 1 0 1 - 2
Fairbanks 1 1 2 -4
First period --1. UM. Comrie 8 (O'Malley), 14:56
(ppg.x ; 2. UAF, Carriere 2 (unassisted). 17:43.
Penalties - UAF, Hamilton (tripping) 1:51; UM,
Swisiak ( high-sticking) 8:56; UAF, Wynia (holding)
8:56; UM, Peach (cross-checking) 10:00; UAF,
Larranaga (obs-interference) 12:56; UAF, UAF,
Carniere (slashing) 13:39.
Second period - 3. UAF, Rocheleau 2 (Zinger,
Grosu;, 10:06 (ppg). Penalties -UM, Jillson
(roughing) 0:31: UAF, Tiemstra (holding) 3:22; UM,
Hilbert (cross-checking) 6:38; UAF, Wynia (holding)
7:30: UM, Mink (obs-tripping) 8:38, UAF, Tiemstra
(obs.-holding) 12:00; UM, Ortrmeyer (slashing)
15:27; UM. Matzka (slashing) 17:47.
Third period - 4. UAF, Bablitz 1 (unassisted) 17:42
5. UM, Kosick 3 (Mink. Langfeid) 18:23 (6X5); UAF,
Reinheller (unassisted) 19:59 (5x6) Penalties -
UAF, Rocheleau (cross checking) 3:14; UM, Jillson
(unsportsmanlike) 5:19; UAF, Hamilton (unsports-
manlike) 5:19; UM, Magnuson (holding) 9:18; UAF,
McNeill (holding) 9:18; UAF, Bartzen (tripping)
12:34; UM, Langfeld (tripping) 14:22.
Shots on goal - UM 11-14-22 - 47; UAF 13-5-5
23.
Power Plays - UM, 1 of 8; UAF 1 of 7.
Saves -- UM,0'Malley 12-4-4 - 20; UAF Mayes 10-
14-21 -45.
Referee~-ion Gosger.
Linesmen -Chris Milles, Rick Redick.
At: Carlson Center.
Attendance: 3,595.
Michigan 4, Alaska-Fairbanks 1
Michigan 1 0 3 - 4
Fairbanks 0 1 0 - 1
First period -1. UM, Peach 2 (Koch), 8:43
Penalties - UM, Jillson (slashing) 0:31; UAF,
McNeill (hooking) :36; UAF, Rienheller (tripping)
2:40; UAF, Andrews (interference) 3:57; UM,
Vancik (tripping) 6:30; UM, Vancik (obs.-hooking)
10:10; UAF, Wynia (slashing after whistle) 11:43;
UAF Hamilton (slashing) 12:41; UM, Langfeld
(cross-checking) 13:38; UAF, Andrews (kneeing)
14:26; UAF, Tiemstra (roughing) 18:15.
Second period - 1. UAF, Andrews 2 (unassisted)
14:42 (sh). Penalties - UM, Peach (interference)
1:53; UM, Swistak (slashing) 7:38; UM, Hilbert
(spearing) 8:03; UM, Hilbert (10 mi. misconduct.
O{) 8:03; UAF, Larranga (checking from behind)
14:08; UAF, Larranga (10 min. misconduct) 14:08.
Third period -2,UM, Kosick (Comrie, Jillson) 1:31
(pp); 3. UM, Vancik (Matzka, Koch) 7:10 (pp); 4.
UM Koch (Ortmeyer) 15:15. Penalties - UAF,
Tiemstra (charging) 1:04; UAF, Hallett (charging)
5:25; UM, Comrie (tripping) 16:42; UM, Vancik
(high sticking) 18:20; UM, Jillson (cross checking)
19:43.
Shots on goal- UM 22-11-11 - 44; UAF 9-9-12 -
30
Power Plays - UM 2-of-10; UAF 0 of 9.
Saves - UM, O'Malley 9-8-12- 29; UAF, Mayes
2 1-10-9 - 40.
Referee - Jon Gosger
Linesmen --Chris Milles, Rick Redick
At: Carlson Center
Attendance: 3,938
support for the Fairbanks squad that
has found itself perennially at the
bottom of the conference since join-
ing the CCHA.
While the nights grow longer and
the days grow colder in Fairbanks,
expect to find energy, excitement and
half the town in a blue, square-
shaped building already shielded by
snow drifts.
As each twelve-year-old with a
Nanook jersey could tell you - just
as surely as every 50-year old woman
waving a Nanook banner -
Fairbanks is quickly becoming a
hockey hotbed and a haven for enthu-
siasts and players alike. And with
Gadowski's fresh new perspective,
things are looking up for the frozen
town that's traded mining picks for
hockey sticks.
BERKA
Teeing Off
4
Penn State best of a
ple, old and young: most clad in the
blue and gold of the hometown
Nanooks.
With a student enrollment of just
under 10,000, a slightly small, but no
less enthusiastic student section has
begun to inject a bit of excitement
into the games - displayed each
time the boards are pounded with
fevered taunting after an opponent is
checked.
"This is a hockey culture,"
Michigan coach Red Berenson said.
"You see rinks flooded over and little
kids out there playing hockey already
and it's only October. These people
love hockey and it shows."
As Gadowski's turnaround contin-
ues to make the Nanooks more com-
petitive, that local interest in the
sport will continue to translate into
worth travel costs
P cop le havce bee n saying it since
August. Every time you hear
talk about the Big Ten, some
expert -- or nitwit --will start prais-
ing the conference, talking about how
it is the best conference in the nation
as far as competitiveness and strength.
While the Big Ten has had seven
schools ranked among the top 25 in the
nation, it is lacking one thing that other
major conferences have -- a title race.
I'm making it official now - Penn
State will win the Big Ten title. The
Nittany Lions not only are undefeated
and ranked No. 2 in the country, they
and Wisconsin are the only teams with
less than two conference losses.
How about perenial title contender
and student-athlete haven Ohio State?
The Buckeyes not only have lost twice
in the Big Ten, but their season-ending
grudge match with Michigan will
decide which team will eat steak in
Florida and which team will rope cattle
in Texas.
How about the surprising Michigan
State squad? After beating the
Wolverines - a victory whose impact
was lessened by Michigan's fourth-
quarter performance against Illinois -
the Spartans have decided to try to go
6-5 for the 10th straight year.
Although the Spartans seemed to be
the best shot at a Big Ten contender
after beating Michigan, they have
responded by getting humiliated by
Purdue, 52-28, and whupped by
Wisconsin, 40-10.
As for the Boilermakers and their
all-everything quarterback Drew
Brees? Although they killed the
Sparties and Brees' play looks good to
the camera - even with his unortho-
dox birthmark on his face - the
Boilers have lost three times in the
conference.
So what does that leave us? Goldy
the Gopher, Chief Illiniwek, Bobby
Knight, Hayden Fry and a patsy to be
named later? Perhaps not.
Wisconsin has only lost once. The
Badgers have a Heisman Trophy con-
tender in running back Ron Dayne and
drive their mascot, Bucky, into Camp
Randall Stadium on a fire truck.
But there are a few things which kill
Wisconsin as a possible Big Ten
titleist. First is their stubborn refusal to
acknowledge the forward pass. The
Badgers either run Dayne up the mid-
dle, oft' tackle, or kick the ball away.
Wisconsin also has proven to be
len bnc/i
capable of having shoddy perfor-
mances, as they lost to schools such as
Cincinnati and Michigan (I do realize
that was a cheap shot).
And even if the Badgers won the
rest of their games, they still could fin-
ish as second monkey in the Big Ten;
as Penn State avoids playing Wisconsin
this season.
This leaves Michigan, which is a
laughable concept at best. The
Wolverines did a less-than-stellar job
in holding a 20-point second half lead u
against the Fighting Illini, a team that
came into the contest with absolutely
no conference wins.
So all that gives us Penn State.
Basically, Joe Paterno is the father fig-
ure of the conference this year with
everyone else serving as bratty
stepchildren.
The rest of the Big Ten teams don't
deserve any sort of credit as far as
major bowls are concerned. Although
the Nittany Lions seem inefficent at
times - boredom in games against
ridiculously sorry teams will do that to
you - they are the only team that can
perform adequately in all aspects of
the sport.
Purdue can't run the ball -- even
though to its credit, it doesn't pretend
to try. Wisconsin can't pass the ball.
Ohio State tries to run and pass but
sucks at both.
Minnesota plays indoors. Michigan
has the indecisiveness of a sorority girl
at a department store. Indiana, Illinois,
and Iowa all start with the letter I and
have a preoccupation with corn. And
Northwestern players are 'brainy'.
And Michigan State has more psy-
chological disorders than a former teen
actress turned drug abuser. Basically,
the Big Ten is a gaggle of clowns.
So Penn State is the only team left to
carry the Big Ten's flag on a national
level.
The Nittany Lions are practically
guaranteed a spot in the Sugar Bowl if
they beat the remainder of the Alices in
this conference.
With Penn State being the only team
in the Big Ten that can accomplish
anything of note, the rest of the teams
should let the Nittanies win out.
- TJ Berka really doesn't want Joe
Paterno to win a national title -
instead he would rather see Bobby
Brown make a comeback in the R&B
industry. E-mail himt at
berkat~a)umich. cdii
CHA, -Alaska-Fairbanks was
other teams' travel costs to
Roselius, the team provides
he competitor's players and
gives money for lodging.
avided everything," Roselius
years as an affiliate member
eant that we were allowed to
ns as we could and play in the
ranted that."
mber of the conference, the
of their games with their mid-
ild be correct to assume that
-sume the team's budget.
das sponsor, Fairbanks relies
sors advertising around the
ations for these expenses.
the extravagant video taping
but that doesn't say that we
hat we have to get the job
t I'm sure it's hard when our
d see their players in the nice
h, and they don't have that."
don't receive the luxuries of
n State programs, but neither
he league. Nebraska-Omaha,
which joined the CCHA this season, has many issues
of its own to deal with.
In order to join the league, Nebraska had to agree to
pay its own way to Alaska. It is the only team in the
conference required to do so.
Michigan, on the other hand, enjoys the luxury of an
inexpensive trip across the continent.
"Since Alaska pays for most of the trip it makes it a
lot more enticing," Michigan hockey coach Red
Berenson said. "Otherwise this trip would be a huge
burden."
But Fairbanks coach Guy Gadowsky said the costs
are a sacrifice the team is willing to make in order to
play in college hockey's best conference.
So even though one may question the fact that a
team from the west, the Far West, is in the CCHA with
many midwestern teams, the players from Alaska-
Fairbanks know they belong.
They may not have the luxuries of the conference's
elite squads, but they have learned to work with what
they have. And this weekend that seemed to work.
"You learn to appreciate things more if you have to
work a little harder to get them," Roselius said. "It
means a lot to beat a team like Michigan because you
have to work a lot harder under a lot harder condi-
tions."
Jisit to Alaska uch more than just hockey
By Chris Grandstaff
Daily Sports Writer
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - There he
stood, duffel bag in tow, at the gates of
Fairbanks International Airport set on
the majestic Chena River.
J .J. Swistak was about to set foot for
the first time onto Alaskan soil. Swistak,
8d his teammates had already wit-
ssed the breathtaking vistas of the
Alaskan country side from the plane, but
now, finally, he was about to see it, unin-
hibited, with his own eyes.
And on this momentous occasion,
Swistak's first visit to Alaska, the young
freshman's initial thoughts on Alaska's
second largest city were, well, not exact-
ly what you'd put in a travel brochure.
It's kind of dirty," Swistak said. "I
,iought Fairbanks would be bigger than
s. It could be a little bit nicer. We flew
into Anchorage and it was pretty nice,
but everyone told me to get that out of
my mind because Fairbanks was not like
that at all"
For the Wolverines, especially the 1
fresjmen, this was not exactly the ideal
Alhkan experience.
For the most part the Wolverines were
trapped within the confines of The
Captain Bartlett Inn, an eccentric timber7
LASKA
Continued from Page 1B
Mayes was most impressive in the fina
ri Mutes of the game, when the
Wolverines, with O'Malley on the bench
and six attackers on the ice, had several
open net opportunities that were stopped
by an equal number of miraculous saves.
"He stood on his. head, and played
e-ry well," Michigan captain Sean
Peach said. "He looked really good. He's
a 4i ot goalie, and he really carried their
team (on Friday)."
Mayes' efforts were reminiscent of
last season's Wolverines when they were
led by Josh Blackburn, their freshman
nptminnfnr
walled, taxidermist's wonderland. The
hotel was just close enough to the
Carlson Center so that the team could
walk, but enough away to let the players
know they were in Alaska.
"It's pretty weird, it's the middle of
October and they already have a bunch
of snow," Swistak said. "We walk to the
rink for morning practices. The games
are the only time we get to take the bus.
"Walking to practice isn't too bad. It's
a little cold, but it gives us a chance to
stretch our legs and get out of that hotel."
The Wolverines did get a chance to
see some of Alaska though, well sort of.
Michigan coach Red Berenson, and
about half of the team made a trip over to
The University of Alaska-Fairbanks
Museum on Thursday for a lesson in the
history of Alaskan culture and a look at
some of the state's prominent wildlife.
"It was basically just a lot of dead ani-
mals, but I thought it was kind of inter-
esting," Swistak said. "The tour guy was
telling us this story, and it was alright at
first, but it got old because we were all
freezing."
The Wolverines also got a chance to
see the famed Alaskan pipeline and a
musk ox farm, which probably could
have been more exciting, but was a wel-
come change from the wildlife they had
been seeing.
"I haven't seen any live animals real-
ly," Swistak said. "Except for the musk
ox and reindeer we saw when we were
on the bus. But there are dead ones
everywhere you look. Everywhere you
go you see stuffed bears or whatever."
Despite' the fact that the trip was not
ideal for Alaskan sightseeing, the trip
served as a bonding experience for many
of the players - especially the freshman.
The Wolverines were forced into close
quarters for a half a week, with nothing
to do within walking distance and no
girlfriends or classes to think about.
The Wolverines were left with them-
selves for entertainment - something
that Swistak and fellow freshman Jed
Ortmeyer provided plenty of during one
lunch outing.
"We were at this restaurant way out in
the woods called 'The Pump,"' Swistak
said. "And the seniors decided to pull
this little joke on Ortmeyer and I.
Everybody else usually gets ice cream
for dessert, but we got a bowl of butter
with chocolate syrup on top instead."
So maybe Alaska wasn't the sweetest
experience the Wolverines have ever had,
but it will go miles toward improving
team chemistry.
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