# 2017–18 Alaska Anchorage Seawolves men's ice hockey season

The 2017–18 Alaska Anchorage Seawolves men's ice hockey season was the 39th season of play for the program, the 36th at the Division I level and the 25th in the WCHA conference. The Seawolves represented the University of Alaska Anchorage and were coached by Matt Thomas, in his 5th season.

## Season

Alaska Anchorage entered the season trying to pull out of the tailspin that had begun after Matt Thomas' surprising first season. The team started well, pushing North Dakota into overtime twice, but couldn't get their offense on track over the next few weeks. After finally getting their first win over Lake Superior State, the Seawolves ran off three consecutive wins in mid-November and looked like they may have found a recipe for success.
Unfortunately, as soon as December rolled around, the offense dried up and Alaska Anchorage lost 19 of their next 20 games. During the run, senior netminder Olivier Mantha did what he could to keep the Seawolves within striking distance, be he was called upon to stop more than 40 shots on multiple occasions. While Brody Claeys got some starts in towards the end of the season, Mantha was in net for the season finale against Alaska and finally got some support when the Seawolves scored a season-high 5 goals. Mantha ended the season as well as his college career on a high note with a second win, salvaging an otherwise terrible season.

## Departures

| Player | Position | Nationality | Cause |
| Aleksi Ainali | Forward | Finland | Signed professional contract (Vaasan Sport) |
| Conor Deal | Forward | United States | Left program (retired) |
| Bradley Duwe | Forward | United States | Graduation (retired) |
| Dylan Hubbs | Forward | Canada | Graduation (signed with Tulsa Oilers) |
| Sean MacTavish | Forward | Canada | Transferred to MacEwan |
| Mason Mitchell | Forward | Canada | Signed professional contract (Washington Capitals) |
| Rasmus Reijola | Goaltender | Finland | Graduation (signed with Rovaniemen Kiekko) |
| Eric Roberts | Defenseman | Canada | Left program (retired) |
| Chase Van Allen | Defenseman | United States | Graduation (signed with Alaska Aces) |
| Connor Wright | Forward | United States | Graduation (retired) |

## Recruiting

| Player | Position | Nationality | Age | Notes |
| Alec Butcher | Forward | United States | 23 | Anchorage, AK; transferred from Sacred Heart |
| Brody Claeys | Goaltender | Canada | 20 | Dauphin, MB |
| Trey deGraaf | Forward | Canada | 21 | Red Deer, AB |
| Drake Glover | Forward | United States | 21 | Anchorage, AK |
| Zac Masson | Forward | Canada | 21 | Newmarket, ON |
| Aaron McPheters | Defenseman | United States | 20 | Anchorage, AK |
| Eric Sinclair | Defenseman | Canada | 21 | Kenora, ON |
| Joe Sofo | Forward | United States | 21 | Sylvania, OH |
| Kristian Stead | Goaltender | Canada | 20 | Merritt, BC |
| Brandon Switzer | Forward | Canada | 21 | Brandon, MB |
| Cameron Trott | Defenseman | Canada | 20 | Anmore, BC |
| Jordan Xavier | Forward | Canada | 20 | Calgary, AB |

## Standings

2017–18 Western Collegiate Hockey Association standingsvte :
| | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record |
| | GP | W | L | T | SOW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| #9 Minnesota State† | 28 | 22 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 67 | 116 | 58 | 40 | 29 | 10 | 1 | 153 | 84 |
| #20 Northern Michigan | 28 | 19 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 61 | 85 | 64 | 43 | 25 | 15 | 3 | 130 | 108 |
| Bowling Green | 28 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 58 | 87 | 63 | 41 | 23 | 12 | 6 | 122 | 100 |
| Bemidji State | 28 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 49 | 77 | 63 | 38 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 103 | 95 |
| #16 Michigan Tech* | 28 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 43 | 82 | 75 | 44 | 22 | 17 | 5 | 134 | 117 |
| Ferris State | 28 | 11 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 68 | 86 | 38 | 14 | 23 | 1 | 87 | 122 |
| Alabama–Huntsville | 28 | 10 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 33 | 69 | 86 | 37 | 12 | 23 | 2 | 84 | 121 |
| Alaska | 28 | 9 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 74 | 85 | 36 | 11 | 22 | 3 | 97 | 118 |
| Lake Superior State | 28 | 8 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 59 | 90 | 36 | 10 | 22 | 4 | 76 | 121 |
| Alaska Anchorage | 28 | 4 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 55 | 102 | 34 | 4 | 26 | 4 | 65 | 124 |
| Championship: March 17, 2018 † indicates conference regular season champion (MacNaughton Cup) * indicates conference tournament champion (Broadmoor Trophy) Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll; updated March 5, 2018 ||||||||||||||||

## Schedule and results

| Date | Time | Opponent$^#$ | Site | Decision | Result | Attendance | Record |
| Exhibition ||||||||||
| September 30 | 7:07 PM | vs. Simon Fraser* | McDonald Center • Eagle River, Alaska (Exhibition) | Mantha | W 6–1 | 1,500 | |
| Regular Season ||||||||||
| October 6 | 7:07 PM | vs. #7 North Dakota* | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Mantha | T 1–1 $^{SOL}$ | 2,563 | 0–0–1 |
| October 7 | 7:07 PM | vs. #7 North Dakota* | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Mantha | L 2–3 $^{OT}$ | 2,506 | 0–1–1 |
| October 13 | 5:37 PM | at Colorado College* | World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado | Mantha | L 1–6 | 4,357 | 0–2–1 |
| October 14 | 5:07 PM | at Colorado College* | World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado | Mantha | L 2–3 | 4,764 | 0–3–1 |
| October 20 | 7:07 PM | vs. Alaska* | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska (Governor's Cup) | Mantha | L 2–6 | 2,846 | 0–4–1 |
| October 21 | 7:07 PM | at Alaska* | Carlson Center • Fairbanks, Alaska (Governor's Cup) | Mantha | L 2–3 | 3,128 | 0–5–1 |
| November 3 | 3:07 PM | at Lake Superior State | Taffy Abel Arena • Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan | Mantha | L 2–3 $^{OT}$ | 1,221 | 0–6–1 (0–1–0) |
| November 4 | 3:07 PM | at Lake Superior State | Taffy Abel Arena • Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan | Mantha | W 4–1 | 1,381 | 1–6–1 (1–1–0) |
| November 10 | 4:07 PM | at Alabama–Huntsville | Von Braun Center • Huntsville, Alabama | Mantha | L 1–5 | 3,128 | 1–7–1 (1–2–0) |
| November 11 | 4:07 PM | at Alabama–Huntsville | Von Braun Center • Huntsville, Alabama | Mantha | T 3–3 $^{SOW}$ | 3,072 | 1–7–2 (1–2–1) |
| November 17 | 7:07 PM | vs. Michigan Tech | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Mantha | T 1–1 $^{SOW}$ | 2,198 | 1–7–3 (1–2–2) |
| November 18 | 7:07 PM | vs. Michigan Tech | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Mantha | T 3–3 $^{3x3OTW}$ | 2,063 | 1–7–4 (1–2–3) |
| December 1 | 3:07 PM | at Ferris State | Ewigleben Arena • Big Rapids, Michigan | Mantha | L 0–2 | 1,550 | 1–8–4 (1–3–3) |
| December 2 | 3:37 PM | at Ferris State | Ewigleben Arena • Big Rapids, Michigan | Mantha | L 2–5 | 1,821 | 1–9–4 (1–4–3) |
| December 8 | 7:11 PM | vs. Alaska | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska (Governor's Cup) | Mantha | L 2–7 | 2,298 | 1–10–4 (1–5–3) |
| December 9 | 7:10 PM | vs. Alaska | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska (Governor's Cup) | Mantha | L 2–3 | 2,264 | 1–11–4 (1–6–3) |
| December 15 | 4:07 PM | at Bemidji State | Sanford Center • Bemidji, Minnesota | Mantha | L 1–5 | 2,561 | 1–12–4 (1–7–3) |
| December 16 | 4:07 PM | at Bemidji State | Sanford Center • Bemidji, Minnesota | Mantha | L 0–4 | 2,581 | 1–13–4 (1–8–3) |
| January 5 | 7:07 PM | vs. #7 Minnesota State | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Mantha | L 2–5 | 1,646 | 1–14–4 (1–9–3) |
| January 6 | 7:07 PM | vs. #7 Minnesota State | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Mantha | L 1–4 | 1,776 | 1–15–4 (1–10–3) |
| January 12 | 7:07 PM | vs. Alabama–Huntsville | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Mantha | L 2–4 | 1,866 | 1–16–4 (1–11–3) |
| January 13 | 7:07 PM | vs. Alabama–Huntsville | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Mantha | W 2–1 | 2,338 | 2–16–4 (2–11–3) |
| January 19 | 3:07 PM | at #17 Bowling Green | Slater Family Ice Arena • Bowling Green, Ohio | Mantha | L 2–6 | 2,397 | 2–17–4 (2–12–3) |
| January 20 | 3:07 PM | at #17 Bowling Green | Slater Family Ice Arena • Bowling Green, Ohio | Mantha | L 2–3 | 3,682 | 2–18–4 (2–13–3) |
| January 26 | 7:07 PM | vs. #20 Northern Michigan | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Mantha | L 2–4 | 1,483 | 2–19–4 (2–14–3) |
| January 27 | 7:07 PM | vs. #20 Northern Michigan | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Mantha | L 3–5 | 1,708 | 2–20–4 (2–15–3) |
| February 2 | 4:07 PM | at #7 Minnesota State | Verizon Wireless Center • Mankato, Minnesota | Mantha | L 1–7 | 1,708 | 2–21–4 (2–16–3) |
| February 3 | 4:07 PM | at #7 Minnesota State | Verizon Wireless Center • Mankato, Minnesota | Claeys | L 3–4 | 4,207 | 2–22–4 (2–17–3) |
| February 9 | 7:07 PM | vs. Lake Superior State | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Mantha | L 2–3 $^{OT}$ | 1,640 | 2–23–4 (2–18–3) |
| February 10 | 7:07 PM | vs. Lake Superior State | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Claeys | L 1–2 | 1,558 | 2–24–4 (2–19–3) |
| February 15 | 7:07 PM | vs. #14 Bowling Green | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Claeys | L 2–5 | 1,276 | 2–25–4 (2–20–3) |
| February 16 | 7:07 PM | vs. #14 Bowling Green | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Mantha | L 2–5 | 1,929 | 2–26–4 (2–21–3) |
| February 23 | 7:07 PM | at Alaska | Carlson Center • Fairbanks, Alaska (Governor's Cup) | Mantha | W 5–3 | 2,696 | 3–26–4 (3–21–3) |
| February 24 | 7:07 PM | at Alaska | Carlson Center • Fairbanks, Alaska (Governor's Cup) | Mantha | W 3–2 | 2,876 | 4–26–4 (4–21–3) |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. All times are in Alaska Time. Source: ||||||||||

## Scoring statistics

| Name | Position | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | PIM |
| Austin Azurdia | F | 29 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 33 |
| Nicolas Erb Ekholm | C/RW | 27 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 4 |
| Tad Kozun | LW | 33 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 50 |
| Jonah Renouf | LW | 26 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 8 |
| Alec Butcher | LW/RW | 16 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 6 |
| Jarrett Brown | D | 23 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 48 |
| Jeremiah Luedtke | F | 24 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 26 |
| Jordan Xavier | F | 29 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 12 |
| Trey deGraaf | F | 27 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 |
| Nathan Renouf | LW | 23 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 |
| Tanner Johnson | D | 24 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 13 |
| Eric Sinclair | D | 34 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 19 |
| Tomi Hiekkavirta | D | 23 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 16 |
| Alex Jackstadt | F | 32 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 26 |
| Mason Anderson | D | 19 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 24 |
| Joe Sofo | F | 21 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 27 |
| Aaron McPheters | D | 17 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| David Trinkberger | D | 22 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 25 |
| Cameron Trott | D | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| Nils Rygaard | C/RW | 24 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| Brandon Switzer | RW | 14 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| Zac Masson | RW | 26 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 17 |
| Corey Renwick | F | 30 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
| Cam Amantea | F | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 28 |
| Olivier Mantha | G | 31 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Nolan Nicholas | D | 32 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 24 |
| Matt Anholt | LW | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brody Claeys | G | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Drake Glover | C | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Bench | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| Total | | | 65 | 116 | 181 | 484 |

## Goaltending statistics

| Name | Games | Minutes | Wins | Losses | Ties | Goals Against | Saves | Shut Outs | SV % | GAA |
| Brody Claeys | 7 | 269 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 132 | 0 | .898 | 3.34 |
| Olivier Mantha | 31 | 1784 | 4 | 23 | 4 | 102 | 946 | 0 | .903 | 3.43 |
| Empty Net | - | 14 | - | - | - | 7 | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 34 | 2067 | 4 | 26 | 4 | 124 | 1078 | 0 | .897 | 3.60 |

## Rankings

| Poll | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 (Final) |
| USCHO.com | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR |
| USA Today | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
USCHO did not release a poll in Week 24.

## Awards and honors

| Player | Award | Ref |
| Olivier Mantha | WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year | |
| Eric Sinclair | WCHA All-Rookie Team | |