First up, note that UAA sophomore goaltender Olivier Mantha on Monday was named the WCHA's Defensive Player of the Week for his strong work in a tie and win at Alabama-Huntsville over the weekend.
Mantha stopped 72 of 77 shots -- 35 saves in Friday's 3-3 tie and 37 stops in Saturday's 3-2 win, which stopped UAA's winless streak of 18 games (0-16-2) Outside. First UAA win outside the state since February 2014.
Mantha improved to 3-1-1 with a 2.93 and .907.
The Seawolves (4-1-1, 1-0-1 WCHA) are off to a strong start. Still, the work gets heavier this coming weekend, when UAA enterains Bowling Green on Saturday and Sunday afternoons at Sullivan Arena. Bowling Green (3-1-1, 0-0-0) is ranked No. 12 in both national polls. And while UAA is 3-0-1 in its last four, it is worth noting that the teams it has beaten this season are a combined 3-11-0 in games against other opponents.
Speaking of the rankings, Nebraska-Omaha is No. 1 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and No. 2 in the USCHO.com poll -- North Dakota is No. 2 and No. 1 in those polls. Anyhow, Omaha includes senior defenseman Brian Cooper of Anchorage, who in five games owns three assists and +6 rating.
On the pro front, former Aces and UAA forward/defenseman Tyler Currier was traded from ECHL Orlando to Elmira in exchange for former Aces teammate Brad Richard, the defenseman. Currier had not played in any of Orlando's first three games. Richard was without a point and -2 in two games for Elmira. In Orlando, Richard reunites with former Aces teammate Brett Findlay, who is 4-1--5 in three games. Richard and Findlay helped the Aces to the 2014 Kelly Cup, beating the Cincinnati Cyclones in the Final. Oh, one of Orlando's goalies is Rob Madore, who played for Cincy in that Final and was named Most Valuable Player of those Kelly Cup playoffs. Why, yes, hockey is an incredibly small world.
Well, then, on the world front, let's catch up with some cats in Europe.
In Denmark's pro league, former UAA winger Sean Wiles is second on the circuit in goals and tied for seventh in points with 13-4--17 totals in 12 games. He's +6.
In Norway's top circuit, former Aces Dion Knelsen (best know as former Nanook) and Dan Kissel are tied for seventh in the league in scoring. Knelsen is 7-8--15 and +7 in 13 games for Sparta and Kissel is 5-10--15 and +12 in 11 games for Stavanger. Kissel's teammate on Stavanger, former Aces sniper Josh Soares, is tied for 10th in league points with 2-12--14 and +6 totals in 11 games.
On to France, where former UAA winger Josh Lunden of Angers is tied for the league lead in points with 7-5--12 totals and a +8 rating in six games. Tied for fifth on the circuit is Lunden's center at UAA, Paul Crowder, who is 4-6--10 and +1 in six games for Amiens. Crowder is playing with his brother, Tim.
And in the DEL2, the second level of German pro pucks, former Aces captain Nick Mazzolini is tied for 14th in the league in points with 9-9--18 totals and a +10 rating in 14 games for Lowen Frankfurt.