By most measures, especially given occasional, short-lived highs and myriad, long-lasting lows during the previous two decades, UAA's performance last season rated as hockey heaven.
At 18-16-4, the Seawolves snapped an epic run of 20 consecutive losing seasons.
They knocked off their rival, UAF, in the first round of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs -- on the road in Fairbanks, no less.
And they took Ferris State, an eventual NCAA tournament team, to overtime in the WCHA Final Five semifinals.
Granted, last season marked the debut of the revamped -- read: weaker -- WCHA, but the Seawolves still accomplished enough to merit having their tires pumped.
So, one last fistful of rose petals tossed the Seawolves' way.
Now, what do they have for an encore?
UAA opens the season in its annual Kendall Hockey Classic at Sullivan Arena with Friday's game against Maine of Hockey East and Saturday's clash with Wisconsin of the Big Ten.
The man in charge of the program's resurrection, second-year bench boss Matt Thomas, spent last season cementing a new foundation for the program. He understands much labor looms ahead as he and his staff attempt to build a program where winning isn't a surprise, but rather a baseline.
"The trick for us is, how do you minimally, at least, stay at that level and grow?'' Thomas said. "The key for us is consistency. The good teams do that, and add to it every year.''
For UAA, that means maintaining the strong work it delivered on home ice last season (11-3-2) and shoring up the seriously sub-.500 results it rang up on the road (6-11-2). (The Seawolves went 1-2-0 on neutral ice).
The Seawolves absolutely need to improve on their work in road openers -- they were 1-8-1 in the first games of road weekends.
They'll need to replace the scoring that departed when first-line forwards Matt Bailey and Jordan Kwas (33 combined goals, 70 points) graduated. They'll need to get more scoring from the blue line -- defensemen pocketed just 12 goals in 38 games. And they'll need to get solid work from inexperienced goaltending -- red-shirt sophomore Michael Matyas gets the season-opening start, Thomas said Thursday, ahead of two freshmen.
The Seawolves enter the season with well-earned confidence -- "It's everything, absolutely everything,'' said senior defenseman Austin Coldwell -- and a belief they can continue crafting a winning culture in a program that hasn't featured that since the late 80s and early 90s.
Only by winning consistently can UAA hope to regain a fan base that has declined seriously in the last decade. That's the same span in which the professional Alaska Aces, who share Sullivan with the Seawolves, have generated 11 consecutive winning seasons in the ECHL, seized three Kelly Cups and proven the hockey of choice among consumers. The Aces' average attendance last regular season (4,619) dwarfed the Seawolves' (2,526).
Coldwell, who enjoyed a breakout season as a junior, when his six goals and 19 points led UAA blueliners by far, said the Seawolves after one season under Thomas' guidance know their identity.
"We're hounds on pucks, we're going to put bodies on defensemen and we're going to play hard,'' he said. "We built a good base, and we want to add to that.''
The work begins for real Friday, with the Seawolves seeking a fourth consecutive Kendall title.
"In sports, you've got to deliver, execute in the big moment,'' Thomas said. "Can we keep that, continue to find that?''
So many questions this offseason. Now, the time for answers has arrived.
This column is the opinion of reporter Doyle Woody. Reach him at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com and check out his blog at adn.com/hockey-blog
Kendall Hockey Classic
At Sullivan Arena
Friday's games
Wisconsin vs. UAF, 5:05 p.m.
Maine vs. UAA, 8:05 p.m.
UAA TV: GCI Channel 1, tape delay, 11 p.m.
UAA Radio: AM-650 KENI
UAA Seawolves
Last season: 18-16-4.
Keep an eye on: Senior defenseman Austin Coldwell (No. 7), team's best all-around defenseman. His six goals and 19 points last season most by a Seawolves blueliner since Chad Anderson's seven goals and 20 points in 2006-07.
Kendall Hockey Classic history: Won last three titles.
UAF Nanooks
Last season: 18-15-4.
Keep an eye on: Junior defenseman Colton Parayko (No. 4), a second-team All-American and WCHA Defensive Player of the Year. Big (6-5, 218), agile, possesses wicked shot.
Kendall Hockey Classic history: Won titles in 2008 and 2009.
Maine Black Bears
Last season: 16-15-4.
Keep an eye on: Junior center and second-team All-American Devin Shore (No. 94), who last season furnished 14-29--43 totals in 35 games, and junior defenseman Ben Hutton (No. 10), a second-team All-American who racked 15 goals, including nine on the power play.
Kendall Hockey Classic history: Won title in 1987.
Wisconsin Badgers
Last season: 24-11-2
Keep an eye on: Senior goaltender Joel Rumpel (No. 33), 20-6-1 last season, with 2.07 goals-against average, .929 save percentage. Was finalist for Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey's best player.
Kendall Hockey Classic history: First appearance.