For two guys angling to emerge from goal-scoring funks before UAA's extended holiday break, wingers Scott Allen and Brett Cameron don't seem riddled with anxiety.
No talk of sleepless nights, or buckling under the burden of self-imposed pressure, or diminished confidence.
Instead, they sound like what you might expect from a pair of senior captains -- thoughtful and mature, and not giving off a whiff of panic.
Said Cameron, a 10-goal scorer last season who has scored just one goal in 13 games and hasn't scored in his last 10 games: "Just stay the course, manage your expectations. You can't go into every game saying you've got to score. Just worry about what you can control.''
Said Allen, who delivered 17 goals last season and has three goals in 14 games this season but has gone eight games without burying a puck: "You have to focus on the process, how you generate goals, the details that lead up to scoring goals.
"Hockey is such a game of probabilities. You might have a good game and not have a point. You might have a bad game and end up with a goal and an assist.''
Allen, Cameron and the Seawolves wrap up the first half of their season Friday and Saturday when they entertain Bemidji State in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series at Sullivan Arena. After that, UAA is on hiatus until Jan. 2-3, when it plays at Alabama-Huntsville.
UAA, Bemidji, Alabama-Huntsville and UAF enter the weekend tied for seventh place (also last place) in the 10-team league with four points each. The Seawolves in their last game two weeks ago snapped a six-game losing streak with a 4-0 WCHA win over Northern Michigan and they naturally want to head into the holiday break on an encouraging note. The Beavers last week snapped their seven-game losing streak with a 4-1 nonconference win over St. Cloud State.
"It's a team we're tied with, so that makes in important,'' said UAA coach Matt Thomas. "It's a home series too. We need everyone at the top of their game. There's nothing to save it for.''
UAA's four-goal game against Northern Michigan came after it scored just three times in the previous five games, so it's not as if Allen and Cameron are the only Seawolves struggling to score.
"They're good leaders, great role models and examples for their teammates, so I'm not worried about them,'' Thomas said. "The only concern is maybe with their patience. Can they stick with it? Can they put the frustration aside?''
UAA averages just 2.14 goals per game. Compounding its scoring difficulties is a power play that has gone 0 for 16 in the last four games and 1 for 27 in the last seven games. The Seawolves have occasionally been guilty of passing up good scoring chances and trying to create great scoring chances.
"When guys are having trouble scoring, the solution is simple: Shoot the puck,'' Thomas said. "Don't over-think it. Just get it on net.''
Seawolves notes
UAA is 5-0-2 when it scores three or more goals and 0-7-0 when it scores two goals or fewer.
Bemidji State is 4-0-0 when it scores four goals or more and 0-10-0 when it scores three goals or fewer.
The Beavers are led in scoring by sophomore Nate Arentz (6-6—12 in 14 games). Checking in second is sophomore Brendan Harms (5-6—11 in 13 games).
Bemidji State includes the Fitzgerald triplets, freshmen from Port Alberni, British Columbia – Myles (3-3—6 in 14 games), Gerry (2-3—5 in 14 games) and Leo (0-1—1 in seven games).
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockey-blog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr
BEMIDJI STATE (4-10-0 overall, 2-6-0 WCHA)
at
UAA (5-7-2 overall, 2-6-0 WCHA)
Friday, 7:07 p.m.; Saturday, 5:07 p.m., Sullivan Arena
Radio: Live AM-650 KENI
TV: Delayed Friday, 10 p.m.; delayed Saturday, 8 p.m., GCI Channel 1