Alaska Nanooks Claim Governor's Cup Again

The annual Governor's Cup has once again been claimed by Alaska (Fairbanks).

The Nanooks swept a pair of contests over the weekend at in-state rival Alaska Anchorage, by 5-0 and 3-1 counts. Michigan State transfer Pierce Charleson recorded both victories in net, including the shutout on Friday, followed by a 33-save effort on Saturday. Brady Risk paced the UAF attack with three goals and two assists for five points overall through the two games.

Coupled with an earlier pair of wins in Fairbanks on Nov. 3-4 against UAA, it means that UAF (8-5-1 0verall) has again taken possession of the instate trophy that has been awarded in the head-to-head series between the two NCAA Division I hockey schools since 1994. UAF has won the last 10 Cups, although its 2010, 2011 and 2012 titles were vacated as a result of NCAA violations against the Nanooks. Neither team played during the 2020-21 COVID season, while the Seawolves also sat out the 2021-22 campaign while re-establishing their program after it had been a victim of budget cuts. UAA (6-11-1) last earned the Cup in 2009.

The Nanook and Seawolves will wrap up their 2023-24 season series on Jan. 13 in Fairbanks and on Feb. 3 in Anchorage.

Alaska (Fairbanks) Wins 2022-23 Governor's Cup

The Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup continued last weekend after a two-year hiatus—and Alaska (Fairbanks) is the champion once more.

The visiting Nanooks swept Alaska Anchorage by 4-0 and 1-0 scores at the Seawolf Sports Complex on Dec. 16-17 to clinch the Cup for 2022-23. Simon Falk and Bowling Green transfer T.J. Lloyd each posted a goal and an assist for the Nanooks (9-7-2 overall) in the opener on Friday, while Chase Dubois notched the game-winning goal with just over five minutes remaining in regulation in the rematch on Saturday. Holy Cross transfer Matt Radomsky earned the shutout both nights for UAF, stopping 20 and 17 shots, respectively.

UAF had swept UAA (2-12-0) at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks on Dec. 9-10 by 5-2 and 7-2 counts in the Governor's Cup renewal, the first games played between the two 49th State rivals since the 2019-20 campaign. Both teams sat out the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19, while UAA stayed on the sidelines last season to rebuild, after the hockey program was dropped by the university due to budget cuts before being reinstated through a fundraising effort.

The Nanooks have now won nine straight Governor's Cups, after their titles in 2010, 2011 and 2012 were subsequently vacated due to NCAA violations. The two independent schools will close out their season series on Jan. 27-28 in Anchorage.