Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

If someone had told Tyler Eckford on Jan. 1 that the Alaska Nanooks would be winless through two-thirds of a six-game homestand, the junior defenseman said he would have called that person crazy.

“I think we take pride in playing at home,’’ Eckford said after Thursday’s practice at the Carlson Center, where the ninth-place Nanooks face the 11th-place Western Michigan Broncos in a Central Collegiate Hockey Association series at 7:05 tonight and Saturday night.

“We have a really big effort at home, and I think Friday night’s game against Miami was one of our better efforts we’ve played all year. Unfortunately, they got a couple of goals, and they’re the best team in the nation,’’ said Eckford, who leads the nation’s defensemen with a points per game average of 0.96.

“I don’t think anyone would have thought that we would be 0-4; but we’re going to take care of that this weekend,’’ Eckford said.

Alaska’s four-game skid began Jan. 18-19 with a tough sweep by Nebraska-Omaha and continued with last weekend’s defeats to No. 2-ranked Miami (Ohio). The RedHawks won 2-0 last Friday and 7-2 Saturday, the most goals the Nanooks have allowed in a game this season.

The Nanooks, 5-12-3 league and 5-15-4 overall, were so disappointed about Saturday’s loss to the now No. 1-ranked RedHawks that they didn’t watch the game video, choosing instead to think ahead to the Broncos (3-14-1, 7-17-2).

“I didn’t want to watch Saturday night (video),’’ Alaska head coach Doc DelCastillo said Thursday. “Saturday night was the No. 1-rated team in the country very motivated to play. Could we have played better? Yes. Hopefully, we won’t run into that many good players on the ice at the same time for the rest of the year.’’

Thirteen Miami players combined for seven goals and 11 assists in the game, compared to five Nanooks combining for two goals and three assists.

“You name eight to 10 guys (for Miami) and they bring their best game to the rink … good luck,’’ DelCastillo said. “I don’t think it was necessarily anything that we did or didn’t do; I was disappointed in the performance but I’m not going to think about it too much. I don’t think it’s too hard to figure it out — those really good players had really good nights.”

The Nanooks are facing a Broncos squad that had a good weekend by taking three points in a home-and-home series against Ferris State.

The performance was a show of resiliency in a season hampered by injuries and an occasional inability to score goals. Western Michigan, averaging a league-low 2.06 goals per game in CCHA play, has been in 10 one-goal games this season, but only won one of them, and the Broncos are 0-4-2 in overtime action.

“You have to be resilient and prepare for each and every weekend. I think that’s the biggest thing that we’ve always stressed with our team,” Broncos head coach Jim Culhane said before Thursday’s practice at the Carlson.

The Broncos, led by junior right wing Patrick Galivan with 7-18-25 totals in 26 games, haven’t been in Fairbanks in two years, but each coach is anticipating a competitive weekend.

“They’re a very good hockey team,’’ said DelCastillo. “I’m sure it’s going to be two very hard-fought hockey games this weekend.”

Each team is also battling for home ice in the first round of next month’s playoffs as the regular season winds down. The Nanooks, including this weekend, have eight games left and they’re one point out of eighth place, the lowest a team can finish and earn home ice. The Broncos are seven points out of eighth place and have 10 games left.

“I expect them to be close hockey games,’’ said Culhane, “because at this time of the year, systems are set and your lineup is pretty much set. It’s a matter of executing and competing at a high level, and it’s also a matter of executing on special teams.’’

Ice chips

The coaches luncheon, featuring DelCastillo and Culhane, begins at noon today at the Carlson Center, and a postgame social is scheduled tonight at the Pump House Restaurant.

•Miami freshman center Carter Camper, who had two goals and an assist last Saturday against Alaska, was named Thursday as the CCHA Rookie of the Month for January, his third monthly honor this season.

Contact staff writer Danny Martin at 459-7586.