The Alaska Nanooks men’s ice hockey team began their 2025-26 season with a 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in Fairbanks. The defeat leaves Alaska with a record of 0-1.
Minnesota Duluth took control early, scoring three goals in the first period. Hunter Anderson opened the scoring less than two minutes into the game, followed by goals from Zam Plante and Max Plante. Ty Hanson added another goal for Minnesota Duluth early in the second period, giving them a 4-0 lead.
Alaska got on the scoreboard in the third period when Braden Birnie scored his team’s first goal of the season at 10:49. Dylan Sydor earned his first NCAA assist on the play, and Noah Barlage was credited with a secondary assist. Despite this effort, Minnesota Duluth secured their win with an empty-net goal late in the game.
Goaltender Lassi Lehti made 20 saves for Alaska, stopping nine shots each in the first two periods and six more in the third. The Nanooks registered 16 shots on goal during the match. Both teams blocked ten shots; Nathan Rickey led Alaska with three blocks while Peyton Platter had two.
In faceoffs, Chase Dafoe won ten out of eighteen attempts for Alaska, which finished with 24 wins out of 52 total faceoffs as a team. Neither team allowed a power-play goal; Minnesota Duluth killed off three penalties while Alaska was successful on all four penalty kills.
The teams will meet again tomorrow at Carlson Center at 7:07 p.m., with Kinross Alaska sponsoring “Go Pink! with the Nanooks.” The event includes distribution of pink scarves to fans attending.
“Tomorrow’s game is sponsored by Kinross Alaska and we’ve partnered with BCDC of Alaska to bring you Go Pink! with the Nanooks. The first 2,000 fans in attendance receive a pink Alaska Nanooks Kinross Alaska scarf!”
Fans can follow updates about the team on Instagram (@NanooksHockey), X (@NanooksHockey), and Facebook (Alaska Nanooks Hockey).
