Their leading scorer, senior center Blake Tatchell, has put up numbers that are strong – 4-6—10 totals in eight games – though not mind-boggling.
Their principal goaltender, sophomore Olivier Mantha, owns stats that are solid – 2.68 goals-against average, .908 save percentage – but not jaw-dropping.
And their special-teams play, power play and penalty killing, have basically been a wash – seven goals to opponents' eight.
So, how is it the Seawolves are 5-2-1 overall and 2-1-1 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association coming off a bye week and heading into a home series against Ferris State (Michigan)?
To hear UAA's players and staff tell it, the Seawolves' success one season after they went 8-22-4 overall and 5-21-2 in league, has been predicated on increased scoring, timely performances at critical junctures, the pursuit of redemption and a renewed confidence.
It's early yet – roughly one-fourth of the way through the regular season – but UAA is averaging 3.13 goals per game, a 52-percent increase from last season's 2.06 per game.
"We're scoring,'' said UAA coach Matt Thomas. "We're getting a lot of contributions. As cliche as it sounds, it's scoring by committee.
"Our penalty killing has been good at times, and it's helped us win games. Ditto for our power play. We've found ways to win those (close) games. Last year, we found ways to lose them.''
The Seawolves this season have won two games in which they trailed in the third period – they came from one goal down to beat Arizona State 3-2 in overtime and from one goal down to beat Rensselaer 4-3 in regulation. And they tied another game – 3-3 at Alabama-Huntsville – in which they trailed in the third period.
Last season, UAA did not win a game in which it trailed in the third period, and tied two games when it trailed in the third period.
"We have trust in each other,'' said junior winger Dylan Hubbs. "Like that (Rensselaer) game. We had a tough second period, but going into the third we said, 'Don't think we're out of this for one second.' We believed.''
The Seawolves also have received prime performances at pivotal points.
Anholt's slick pass set up Brad Duwe's overtime strike against Arizona State – Hubbs also assisted on the goal. Freshman defenseman Wyatt Ege's third-period turnover led to Rensselaer's 3-2 lead, but Ege promptly responded with the game-tying and game-winning goals fewer than five minutes after his mistake. Mantha's 13 third-period saves allowed the Seawolves to hold on for a 3-2 win at Alabama-Huntsville, where they were outshot 14-2 in the final 20 minutes. And Tatchell's goal and two assists, just days after he flew home to Saskatchewan for the funerals of his grandmother and great aunt, buoyed a 4-2 win over Bowling Green.
"For a young team – it's early – but we're finding ways to win,'' Anholt said. "I think the guys who came back are so hungry because last season's (struggle) was almost to the point of embarrassment.''
Seawolves notes
Junior forward Connor Wright (lower-body injury) and freshman forward Cam Amantea (upper-body injury) will both miss this weekend's series, Thomas said.
For what it's worth, UAA was 2-6-2 in Thomas' two previous seasons when it was coming off bye weeks.
UAA is coming off a 2-0 loss to Bowling Green and hasn't scored a goal in 81:24.
Tatchell leads all active UAA players with 27-62—89 totals in 116 career games and is seeking to become the 22nd Seawolf to hit the 100-point career mark. The last UAA player to reach the century club was winger Kevin Clark (2006-10), who earned 51-57--108 totals in 141 career games.
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockeyblog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr
Ferris State
4-4-2, 3-3-0 WCHA
at
UAA
5-2-1, 2-1-1 WCHA
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