Coming off two Western Collegiate Hockey Association road losses to league co-leader Minnesota State-Mankato, the Seawolves' travels don't get any easier this week.
League co-leader Michigan Tech awaits UAA on the back end of the Seawolves' most daunting road trip this season.
UAA's 2-0 and 6-2 losses to the Mavericks extended Mankato's unbeaten streak to five games (3-0-2). And now it faces a team ranked No. 17 in the nation and riding a four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1).
So, UAA coach Matt Thomas said its time for his team, which is on a 0-3-1 skid in which it has scored five goals, to pull on its work boots.
"Literally, what happened to us (in Mankato) is we got outworked, outworked both nights by a very hard-working team,'' Thomas said by phone. "And now we play a skilled, hard-working team.''
After taking Sunday off, the Seawolves stayed in Mankato to practice Monday before traveling to Duluth, Minnesota, where they practiced Tuesday and Wednesday before departing Thursday for Houghton on Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
The Seawolves have three forwards out of the lineup with injuries – Cam Amantea (upper-body), and Tanner Dusyk and Connor Wright (both lower-body). Several other players are banged up, Thomas said, but healthy enough to play.
"We've got some guys sucking it up because they have to,'' Thomas said.
Expect to see sophomore Olivier Mantha make his 11th consecutive start when the Seawolves open their series at Michigan Tech on Friday night.
Mantha stopped 40 shots in Friday's 2-0 loss at Mankato and was pulled in the first period of Saturday's 6-2 loss. He's been UAA's best player, just as he was last season.
"We know we're going to get good goaltending,'' Thomas said. "Now we need everyone else to step up to Manny's level of execution.''
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockeyblog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr
UAA
6-6-2, 3-4-1 WCHA
at
No. 17 Michigan Tech
9-4-1, 8-4-0 WCHA
Friday and Saturday, 3:07 p.m. AST