http://www.duluthnews.com/dnt/sports/umdpux4.htm
 
> Visitors have found there's no Alaskan Goal Rush
>
> UMD will attempt to beat suffocating defensive
> tactics at Anchorage
>
> By Chris Miller
> News-Tribune sports editor
>
> There once was an Alaskan Gold Rush.
>
> But there is no Alaskan Goal Rush.
>
> The Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs will be the latest team to
> attempt to beat the suffocating defensive tactics of
> Alaska-Anchorage during a Western Collegiate Hockey
> Association series this weekend in Anchorage.
>
> The Seawolves put a lot of mud on the track. They play a
> very conservative defensive style which, unfortunately, also
> limits their own offensive chances. Alaska-Anchorage has
> allowed WCHA opponents only 2.56 goals per game -- but
> has averaged only 1.74 itself.
>
> ``They never allow an out-manned situation,'' said UMD
> coach Mike Sertich. ``They clog up the middle and steer
> everything to the perimeter. They force you to the outside
> and don't allow good shots.
>
> ``It's not fancy, but it's effective. They hope to catch you
> making a mistake leaving the zone and pounce on you.''
>
> The Bulldogs have been having scoring problems but,
> against Anchorage, almost every team does.
>
> ``It can be very frustrating to play against that style, but you
> see a lot of it in the league now,'' said UMD defenseman
> Laird Lidster. ``We're not putting goals away like we want
> to anyway, and they are definitely going to try to keep us
> from getting many good chances.
>
> ``You just have to keep working and hope you get a few
> breaks.''
>
> Anchorage coach Dean Talafous, in his second season, has
> instituted the trapping defensive style that has overtaken the
> National Hockey League. The Seawolves (3-10-3) have
> played some very close games but mostly have close losses
> to show for it.
>
> ``We protect our goalie very well,'' said Talafous. ``We
> don't allow a lot of rebounds, we don't allow a lot of
> odd-man rushes or a lot of breakaways. As time goes on,
> and we improve our talent level, I think our offense will
> improve, too.
>
> ``The bad part is, we only have three wins (through 16
> games) and that's tough to live with.''
>
> UMD, 7-9 overall, is 4-6 and in sixth place in the WCHA.
> The Bulldogs, who have scored only 18 goals in their past
> nine games, would like to get back to .500.
>
> ``The points are becoming important,'' said Lidster. ``Sure,
> we'd like to put together a bit of a run. We haven't done as
> well as we should have.
>
> ``But we're not playing badly, even in the games we lose.
> We're getting chances and not putting them away, and our
> luck is bound to change.''
>
> The Bulldogs flew to Anchorage Wednesday for the series,
> which starts Friday night. The games are at 10 p.m. CST.
> Sophomore winger Colin Anderson will return to the lineup
> after resting his injured ankle for the past two weeks. Last
> week was UMD's NCAA-mandated week off; the players
> had ice time, but no coaches were allowed to participate.
>
> Sertich spent the week hunting and fishing.
>
> ``Our timing was a little off at first, but we got it back pretty
> quickly,'' he said. ``I liked the enthusiasm. They are aware of
> the significance of the weekend. We're going to have to fight
> through that style and try to pick up some wins.''
>
 
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