Hockey

UAA junior Andrew Pickering has announced his retirement from hockey, due to health concerns. A statement realeased by head coach Dave Shyiak said Pickering had suffered two concussions in the past two months, prompting him to leave hockey and focus on his health and studies. Pickering was a WCHA All-Academic team honoree, and a member of last year's WCHA Scholar-Athlete team.  

On Monday night, the Alaska Aces hosted its sixth annual “Paint-the-Rink-Pink” exhibition game that corresponds to the national Breast Cancer Awareness month. The game was played on pink ice at the Sullivan Arena and it's become an early-October tradition for the hometown team. “About a decade ago when the new ownership took over, we made a point that this isn't just the Anchorage Aces anymore, it's the Alaska Aces,” Josh Bogorad, Alaska Aces Director of Media Relations, said.  “The fact that we can do local fundraising events, make them all that much more special.” The Aces said proceeds of ticket sales and proceeds of a pink-trimmed jersey auction go to local breast cancer organizations.

Anchorage native Hayden Trupp has committed to playing his college hockey for his hometown UAA Seawolves, according to Trupp's junior team, the Alexandria Blizzard of the NAHL.  The NAHL website says Trupp will join the Seawolves for the 2012-13 season. Trupp led the Blizzard this past season in assists with 30 and added seven goals in 53 games.  Hayden's brother Evan also played collegiate hockey at North Dakota. UAA's program has lost several players in the off-season who had eligibility remaining.

Although the Aces are still in the second round of Kelly Cup playoffs, defenseman Kane Lafranchise has already claimed a title of his own.   The HockeyNews.com's "Name of the Year Tournament" featured 64 active hockey players from all over the world, open to fans to vote for their favorite.  Starting the tournament as a No. 4 seed, Lafranchise began his quest for the crown against Ryan Thang, then advancing over Hunter Shinkaruk, Jagger...

The 2012-13 UAA hockey schedule was announced today by head coach Dave Shyiak. The Seawolves 34-game schedule includes 17 home games, 2 in-season tournaments and 6 non-conference games.  The 34th season of Seawolf hockey begins with the 21st annual Kendall Hockey Classic, October 12-13.  Defending the title, UAA will play host to Air Force, Canisius and Alaska Fairbanks.  The 20th season of Western Collegiate Hockey Association play...

The college hockey postseason ended on Saturday with Boston College being crowned NCAA men's Division I champion.  The off-season began on Monday with UAA naming Chris Crowell team captain for the 2012-13 campaign. Crowell, an assistant captain as a junior, won't wow anybody with his scoring prowess.  In fact, the forwards owns one career goal and one career assist.  UAA head coach Dave Shyiak said in a statement that he chose Crowell based on the level of respect he has within the team.   Crowell will become the first Seawolf since Jared Tuton in 2009-10 to hold the UAA captaincy by himself.

The Alaska Anchorage hockey team lost game two 7-3 in the 1st round of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association First Round Playoffs Saturday Night. The Seawolves used three power-play goals in the second period for a 3-1 lead. That advance was quickly stomped on by the Gophers offense, who rallied six unanswered goals, two in the second and four in the third, to end UAA's 2011-12 campaign with the first round sweep. The Seawolves will say goodbye to seniors Brad Gorham, Curtis Leinweber, Jade Portwood and Dusan Sidor.

UAA senior goaltender Dusan Sidor made 23 saves and senior forward Jade Portwood scored a goal in the Seawolves' regular season finale, but it wasn't enough as Bemidji state escaped Sullivan Arena with a two-game sweep, 5-4 on Saturday night.   UAA finishes league play 5-22-1. Brance Orban scored the tying and winning goals for the Beavers, whose only lead was the final score.  Goaltender Dan Bakala picked up the assist on Orban's game winning goal. Jordawn Kwas, Sam Mellor, and Corbin Karl also scored for UAA, which heads to WCHA regular season champion Minnesota for the opening round of the conference playoffs.

The Dimond high school hockey team captured its first state 4A championship in 11 years on Saturday, defeating Service, 6-1 in the title game in Wasilla.  The Lynx, who were 0 for 7 in title games since their most recent crown in 2001, capped off an undefeated season. Dimond got off to a good start with two goals 10 seconds apart in the opening period. Drake Glover's unassisted goal with 2:51 left in the first bounced off the shoulder of the Service goaltender and in.  Right off the ensuing face off at center ice, Dimond's career points leader Tyler Thompson found Lane Bauer, whose wrist shot found the lower right corner for a 2-0 lead.  Dimond enjoyed another scoring spurt in the second period, with two goals 25 seconds apart.  Josh Larson scored a rebound goal 1:31 into the frame, and Daniel Roberts made it 4-0 on the very next shift.

The Service Cougars rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the first period to knock off 2011 state 4A champion South Anchorage, 3-2, in the semifinals of the state championship hockey tournament.  The Cougars advance to face undefeated Dimond in the finals on Saturday night in Wasilla. Dimond, 0 and 7 in state championship games since winning the school's most recent crown in 2001, qualified for yet another title game by blanking Lathrop in the semifinals, 4-0. The Lynx remain perfect on the season, including two victories over Service.