UAF’s Hugo Marcil checks a UAA player into the boards during a Governor’s Cup game between the two teams on Friday, Feb. 6, at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage. (Photo by Stephanie Burgoon / UAA Athletics)

Between his time as a Chugiak Mustang, as a Seawolf with the University of Alaska Anchorage and then donning the blue and white with the Alaska Aces, UAA hockey coach Matt Shasby is almost certain that he has played more games at Sullivan Arena than anyone in the world.

The Seawolves took the ice at their former home venue Friday night for the first time in nearly a decade for the annual Governor’s Cup series against rival University of Alaska Fairbanks, falling 4-1 in a hard-fought bout.

“This hallway that we’re standing in right here, I’ve been in here thousands of times,” Shasby said outside the home locker room after the game. “I’ve spent thousands of hours in this building. It’s a special place to me. I’ve won championships in this building, I’ve lost championships in this building. It’s a special place to Alaska hockey history and to the Seawolf program for sure.”

UAF earned three points for the regulation triumph in the eight-game Cup series and holds a 7-2 advantage. The Nanooks are poised to win the trophy and a year’s worth of bragging rights for the 15th time in a row. The two teams face off again at 5 p.m. Saturday at Sullivan Arena.

The last game Shasby participated in as a player at Sullivan Arena was Game 7 of the Kelly Cup finals in 2009, when the Aces came up just short to the South Carolina Stingrays. Being back in the building as the bench boss and not lacing his skates up again was a surreal experience.

“It feels good to be a part of and I hope that our university, the 5th Line and the city can continue to rally behind the concept of Seawolf hockey being in the Sullivan Arena,” he said.

The last game UAA played in the historic venue was on March 2, 2019 against UAF, which resulted in a 2-1 Nanooks’ win. Through the collective efforts of the Seawolf 5th Line, athletic administrators and other volunteers, the team was able to call it home once again this week.

“It was a special moment for our program, for the Seawolf 5th Line, our athletic department and everybody that’s put in all this work since the program came back in 2021,” Shasby said. “The crowd was great, the presentation was great and it just felt like Seawolf hockey was back in this building.”

UAA’s Joey Potter tries to take the puck into the UAF zone during a Governor’s Cup game between the two teams on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage. (Photo by Stephanie Burgoon / UAA Athletics)

The Avis Alaska Sports Complex where the team regularly plays its home games has a seating capacity of around 800. But on Friday night, they were able to more than triple that figure with over 2,600 fans of both teams in attendance, all of whom made their presence felt, according to Shasby.

“You look up and you see people and a significant amount in the upper deck filled in, you couldn’t ask for a better crowd and a better homecoming from the city,” he said.

It’s one thing for Shasby to be able to coach his son, Seawolf defenseman Camden Shasby, during his college career. But for the coach, it was a full-circle moment watching his son take the same sheet of ice he did for so many years playing the game.

“It’s been special and it’s been great all year,” Shasby said. “I’m really proud of him for the effort that he’s given our squad, and it’s been fun to watch him develop.”

UAA’s last victory came against UAF nearly a month ago on the road. While the Seawolves fell short Friday, Shasby said it was a typical game between the two schools — tightly contested heading into the third period.

“That’s UAA and UAF hockey,” Shasby said. “It’s a one-goal game and they capitalized on special teams to make it a two-goal game. Every game with these guys have been close and we have to win the special teams battle in order to give ourselves a chance.”

UAA’s Adam Parsons looks for a deflection in front of the UAF net during a Governor’s Cup game between the two teams on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 at Sullivan Arena. (Photo by Stephanie Burgoon / UAA Athletics)

Up just 2-1, UAF gave itself some breathing room on a power-play goal with 15:37 left in the game. The Nanooks found the back of the net again late on an empty netter after UAA pulled its goalie in an attempt to maximize its chance of mounting a rally in the final minutes.

“Our guys got a little taste of what it’s like to play in this building,” Shasby said. “It’s a bigger sheet (of ice), so you have to play with pace and you have to have confidence when the puck is on your stick because you have more room and time to make plays. You can’t panic and throw pucks away. I didn’t think we did a good enough job of that tonight to hold on to pucks and move our feet in open ice to support.”

The lone goal the Seawolves scored in the game came in the second period from senior forward Luke Johnson, a former Nanook, for his second goal of the season.

“It’s got to feel good for him,” Shasby said. “He’s been working hard to find the back of the net and we’re happy for L.J. It was a nice play by (J.P.) Steele to put it on his tape and beat a guy wide, and it was a great finish.”