With some long-awaited stability from a coaching standpoint coming in the form of a contract extension for coach Dallas Ferguson and a sizable portion of last year’s vaunted defensive corps returning to Fairbanks this season, it was a safe bet that Alaska would maintain its home zone stinginess as they try to build on last year’s fourth-place finish. But as stalwart as the rearguards are poised to be, significant question marks loomed on both sides of the blue liners.

Could sophomore Scott Greenham be counted on as consistently as Chad Johnson could be on the few occasions the puck got through to the net? Would the maturing group of forwards score a few more goals to keep the Nanooks competitive in games that Greenham and the defensive corps needed a bailout?

CCHA Goaltender of the Week Scott Greenham stopped 43 of 44 shots in two Alaska victories last weekend.

While it’s only the middle of October, if last weekend’s wins over Michigan and Mercyhurst at the Kendall Hockey Classic are a sign of things to come, this just might be the year Alaska contends for its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

Greenham, who was named the CCHA Goaltender of the Week after stopping 43 of the 44 shots he faced, felt totally at home in taking over the No. 1 job. The sophomore built on lessons learned from working with Johnson throughout last year and he felt the boost of a seemingly enhanced offense that scored seven goals on the weekend – a total that Alaska tied or topped just twice last year.

“We brought in some new guys who can definitely put the puck in the net,” Greenham said. “Last year we had a lot of opportunities to put the puck in but couldn’t capitalize. Obviously, coach wasn’t too happy with the offensive production but (the offensive players) were working hard over the summer at shooting clinics and working on capitalizing on opportunities.”

As the Nanooks return to their home ice for the Brice Alaska Goal Rush to play Robert Morris and Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute at the Carlson Center, Greenham and his teammates will face an additional pressure: the expectations of the hometown fan base.

Needless to say, Fairbanks isn’t your typical college hockey town, and last year’s success has the Nanook faithful craving even more this season. It’s a town of friendly people that greet Greenham and his teammates on the streets, but they support Alaska fervently and are counting on Greenham to help lead the team to the promised land.

Just as he took the pressure in stride to earn a 2-0 shutout of a Michigan team that scored six against Alaska Anchorage one night later, Greenham embraces the high standards the natives of Fairbanks have set.

“You definitely feel pressure (from the fans), but it’s not a band kind of pressure,” Greenham said. “Pressure can be good too; it forces you to perform near the top of your game all the time. The fans expect a lot, but it’s nothing that you don’t expect out of yourself.”