Sports

Always strong defensively, UAA's Anholt making impact on offense

As a center entrusted to help hold the opponents' top offensive line in check, Matt Anholt proved UAA's best defensive pivot as a freshman last season.

Responsible defensively both by nature and upbringing – his father Peter is a long-time Western Hockey League coach and executive – Anholt showed the smarts and awareness to read plays and interrupt the opposition.

Yet he didn't foresee the criticism that landed in his email in-box at the end of last season, when the Seawolves coaching staff delivered its player evaluations. While head coach Matt Thomas and crew appreciated Anholt's attention to defensive detail, they also thought his single-minded focus on defending rendered his offense – two goals and nine points in 34 games -- inconsequential.

"We basically called him out,'' Thomas said. " 'You'll be a limited offensive player.' It really made him angry."

Anholt said reading that appraisal of his game hurt – "I was not happy,'' he said – but like the coach's kid he is, he recognized truth in it and determined to accept it as a challenge.

"I've always understood criticism, especially constructive criticism,'' Anholt said. "So I decided to take that criticism and turn it into motivation.''

And just six games into his sophomore season, Anholt already has furnished the Seawolves 2-5--7 totals that tie him for the team lead in points. His offense has come in particularly handy for a team Thomas often has said will rely on scoring by committee. Anholt has made an impact while still playing an earnest defensive game -- his plus-3 rating ranks second among Seawolves.

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"He's been our best player from the first game to now because he's committed to a 200-foot game,'' Thomas said. "He's just as good a defensive player as offensive now too because he makes plays everywhere.''

That beckons a hockey maxim: Good offense is a form of sound defense because there's only one puck on the rink and your team has it.

Anholt continues to center a line tasked with shutting down the opponents' top line – junior Dylan Hubbs plays right wing on Anholt's line and several players have skated on Anholt's left wing – and he still kills penalties. But he also has merited power-play time.

"I feel like if I can get the coaches' trust, I can get more opportunity,'' Anholt said.

UAA's staff thought that while Anholt played well defensively last season, he played too safe. Anholt called that "something I've battled my whole career.'' Coaches wanted Anholt's brand of defense to stem less from sitting back in a defensive posture and more from asserting himself, creating turnovers and kick-starting the counter-attack.

"Playing on my toes instead of my heels,'' as Anholt put it.

Thomas said Anholt approached criticism with maturity, which is one of the reasons he made Anholt an assistant captain, a rare reward for a sophomore. He said Anholt also responded quickly to offseason assignments – reading a book, for instance – that Thomas issued to some players because he wanted to see who proved to be the best candidates for leadership roles.

Anholt, an only child, has been around hockey his whole life and he's a confessed rink rat. He served as a stick boy for WHL franchises in Red Deer, Alberta, and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, when his father coached those teams. Thomas routinely calls Anholt by the nickname "Coach,'' and said the center often asks who the staff is recruiting so he can go online and check out those players. Anholt said he would like to remain in hockey after his playing days, and in the offseason he accompanied his father to the NHL draft to check out the scene and make connections.

"You can always take in more information,'' Anholt said. "Hanging around rinks, and with my dad coaching, I probably took in more than I know.''

And, clearly, Anholt has learned how to make that necessary hockey change known as an adjustment.

"He's really bought into it,'' Thomas said. "He's made some plays off the rush and scored greasy goals. He's made an impact.''

Seawolves notes

At UAA's practice Wednesday morning on-campus, Thomas and assistant coaches Josh Ciocco and Louis Mass did a lot of, um, coaching.

"You mean yelling?'' Thomas said deadpan.

Thomas said the staff emphasized that Bowling Green, ranked No. 12 in one national poll and No. 13 in the other, is a Western Collegiate Hockey Association heavyweight.

"We're playing a really good team, and if you're not sharp, they're certainly not going to let you off the hook,'' Thomas said.

Thomas said all his players are healthy and available for this weekend's series.

Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockeyblog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr

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Bowling Green (3-1-1 overall, 0-0-0 WCHA) vs. UAA (4-1-1 overall, 1-0-1 WCHA)

Saturday and Sunday, Sullivan Arena, 2:07 p.m.

TV: Live, GCI Cable Channel 1

Doyle Woody

Doyle Woody covered hockey and other sports for the Anchorage Daily News for 34 years.

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