CHRIS
TARKIR
Alaska Anchorage
Jr. | F | Fresno, Calif.
A young Alaska Anchorage team will rely heavily
on offensive production from Tarkir, who led the
team with eight goals last year.
Key Statistics: His second
season of college hockey was literally a career year
for Tarkir in nearly every category. He led the Seawolves
in goals with eight (a career high), had six assists
(career high), led the team with three power-play goals
(career high) and also set career marks in penalties
(19) and penalty minutes (46).
What He Does: Ask Tarkir
about his favorite on-ice play and he’ll describe
setting up in the high slot, getting a pass from behind
the net, and firing a one-timer past the opposing goalie.
In fact, he estimates that at least five of his eight
goals last year were scored that way. On a young team
that enters the new season in desperate need of more
offense, Tarkir will be called upon to repeat that play
a few more times if the Seawolves are to be competitive.
The Bigger Picture: Every
year of college hockey has been a set of new experiences
for this California kid. He experienced the newness
of the collegiate game as a freshman, got used to a
new coach as a sophomore, and will be thrust into a
leadership role as a junior, with nine freshmen donning
the green and gold this fall. Tarkir says that going
all the way back to youth hockey in Fresno, he’s
never before played on the same team more than two seasons
in a row, giving him another new experience to prepare
for this year. His coach raves about Tarkir’s
size and defensive play, especially when killing penalties,
but Tarkir admits he’s rarely thinking strictly
defense, even when his team is down a man, and is always
ready to switch to offense when said opportunity knocks.
Seawolves coach Dave Shyiak on
Tarkir: “Chris is a good energy player
who can give us both the finesse game and the physical
game. He provides us with some versatility in that he
can give us a little bit of everything.”
A young Alaska Anchorage team will rely heavily
on offensive production from Tarkir, who led the
team with eight goals last year.