Frosh start: Newcomers help UAA hockey team open season strong

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UAA’s Jordan Xavier, left, and North Dakota’s Hayden Shaw battle for the puck. UAA played North Dakota in its home opener at the Sullivan Arena on October 6, 2017. (Marc Lester / Alaska Dispatch News)

UAA hockey coach Matt Thomas knew he'd be using a host of newcomers for his team's season-opening weekend series against No. 7 North Dakota.

But he didn't know how they would respond to being thrown into their first collegiate action against a nationally ranked opponent less than two years removed from an NCAA Division I national championship.

Instead of shying away from the pressure, the newcomers embraced the challenge.

Six of the 12 freshmen played on opening night, when UAA earned a 1-1 tie against the Fighting Hawks, and again in a 3-2 overtime loss on Saturday.

One of them, forward Jordan Xavier, scored UAA's only goal on Friday, and another, forward Joe Sofo, assisted on a goal on Saturday. Freshman defenseman Mason Anderson, of Anchorage, played on UAA's top line both nights.

"I think that's kind of a good thing when you just get thrown in and you're like, 'OK, this is what it's going to be like,' " said Xavier, a 5-foot-11, 187-pound center from Calgary, Alberta.

"In your first shift you take your first couple strides and it goes through your head like 'Holy cow, I'm really doing this' … (but) it's hockey at the end of the day, and we've been playing it our whole lives. Instincts kind of take over."

[More OT for UAA, only this time North Dakota wins]

A pair of seniors helped set up Xavier's game-tying shot with 75 seconds left in the third period. Winger Austin Azurdia sent the puck to Tad Kozun in the middle, and Kozen passed to Xavier for a quick shot to the corner of the goal.

"It's something every kid dreams of," Xavier said. "I blacked out to be honest."

Besides Xavier, Anderson and Sofo, forward Zach Masson and defensemen Eric Sinclair and Cameron Trott all played over the weekend.

On the back end, Thomas paired his freshmen with veterans. On both nights, Anderson started with sophomore David Trinkberger and Sinclair was paired with senior Jarrett Brown on the second line. Trott was placed with sophomore Nolan Nichola on Friday and sophomore Tomi Hiekkavirta on Saturday.

"I think our mix was really good," Anderson said. "We have a lot of older guys who can really settle down the younger ones, myself included. I think the younger guys are picking it up real quick."

[Late UAA goal forges ties with No. 7 North Dakota in hockey opener]

Roles will increase for UAA's young forwards depending on how long the Seawolves are without senior captain Matt Anholt, who suffered a leg injury Friday and didn't play Saturday. Anholt was UAA's points leader last season, posting 5-17—22 totals.

With Anholt out, Xavier played in UAA's top line on Saturday.

Thomas said he endured several sleepless nights trying to figure out his lineup for the opening weekend and said he'll continue to evaluate his players on a daily basis.

Depth could be a positive for a team trying to get back to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs for the first time in four seasons, he said.

"We've got some really good players that were sitting in the stands," Thomas said. "It's a good problem to have. It will be interesting to see how hard guys work to get themselves into the lineup, and, more importantly, stay in the lineup."