KENDALL HOCKEY CLASSIC PREVIEW: One of the premier early-season tournaments in the country, the Kendall Hockey Classic once again will showcase some of the most successful programs in college hockey. The 19th edition of the tournament promises to be one of the most exciting yet, as UAA looks to dethrone in-state rival and defending champion Alaska Fairbanks. Joining the field for the second time is Central College Hockey Associations powerhouse Michigan and first-time participant Mercyhurst of Atlantic Hockey. For the first four years after its rebirth in 1999, the tournament champion was based on overall win-loss record. The 2003 and 2004 Classics changed to a true tournament format, with the winners of the opening contests meeting in the championship game. The format switched back to overall win-loss record in 2007, which continues this year.

Here's a brief look at the 2009 field:

ALASKA ANCHORAGE SEAWOLVES: Coming off its best season under head coach Dave Shyiak in 2008-09, Alaska Anchorage returns to its own tournament looking for a sixth Classic title. UAA packs a roster full of seniors and juniors who possess the skill and experience to lead the Seawolves to victory. UAA returns to the Sullivan Arena with 71 percent of its point production from last season, suiting up seven of its top 10 scorers. Senior Kevin Clark, junior Tommy Grant and senior Josh Lunden will lead the Seawolf pack offensively. The threesome finished 2-3-4 on the team in points, registering 31, 25 and 20, respectively. The Seawolves' defensive end will be led by senior Trevor Hunt and sophomore Curtis Leinweber, who each contributed 12 points from the blueline. Time in the crease for UAA could be split between senior Jon Olthuis and junior Bryce Christianson.

ALASKA FAIRBANKS NANOOKS: Alaska Fairbanks, which joined UAA in the Classic last season for the first time since 1985 and 1986, will aim to defend its first Classic title with second-year head coach Dallas Ferguson at helm. In his initial season, Ferguson led UAF to its first winning season since 2004-05 and a program-tying fourth-place finish in the CCHA, earning him the league's Coach of the Year award. The Nanooks will hit the ice this season with senior Dion Knelsen taking the reins after leading UAF in points (10-12-22) last year. Juniors Kevin Petovello and Brandon Knelsen could post high figures after chipping in 18 and 14 points, respectively, last season. On the defensive end, UAF will look to a pair of sophomores, Joe Sova and Aaron Gens, to keep the puck in the zone.  Both blueliners tallied 10 points apiece during the 2008-09 campaign.  Replacing 2008-09 Hobey Baker finalist Chad Johnson at the goaltending position will be the greatest obstacle for UAF to overcome as returnee Scott Greenham only saw action in five games last season.

MICHIGAN WOLVERINES:  Attempting to win its second Classic tournament title is one of the CCHA's powerhouses, Michigan. The Wolverines, who are making their first trip to Anchorage since 2000, look to challenge for both a league title and NCAA berth in 2009-10 after making their 19th consecutive trip to the NCAAs last year-a college hockey record. The Wolverines return 19 skaters from their squad that went 29-12-0 a year ago. Longtime head coach Red Berenson (26th season) will lead seven of his top 10 scorers from last year, including 68.5 percent of the Wolverines' point production. Among the leaders is a Hobey Baker finalist and an American Hockey Coaches Association West All-America first-team selection, junior Louie Caporusso (24-25-49), and junior Carl Hagelin (13-18-31). Shoring up the defensive side of the ice for Michigan is senior captain Chris Summers. Last season Summers registered 13 helpers and 17 points, leading all Wolverines defensemen. The Maize and Blue held opponents to 2.05 goals a game - fourth in the country. Between the pipes is junior Bryan Hogan, who was third in the country in winning percentage (.800) with a record of 24-6-0.

MERCYHURST LAKERS:  Making its inaugural appearance at the Kendal Hockey Classic is Mercyhurst, from Erie, Pa. After finishing third in the Atlantic Hockey league last season, the Lakers return with 21 letterwinners, including eight of the top 10 point producers. Mercyhurst led the conference in power-play percentage (24.3) and scoring offense (4.18 goals per game). Juniors Steve Cameron and Scott Pitt will lead a veteran squad with five incoming freshmen. Cameron topped the team with 22 goals and 50 points, while Pitt was the Lakers second-leading scorer with 15 goals and 30 assists. Sophomore Phil Ginand (15-19-34) led the league for freshman scorers and tallied a team-high 10 power play goals. The Lakers' defense will be spearheaded by the return of senior Matt Fenelle, who has put up 14-38-52 career totals in 99 games. Fenelle will be joined by senior Cullen Eddy (1-14-15) on the blueline. In net for Mercyhurst will be junior Ryan Zapolski. Zapolski suited up for the Green and Blue in 29 games, producing an 18-5-3 record and a .934 save-percentage - leading the conference.

2008 CLASSIC REVIEW: UAA's bid for the 18th annual Kendall Hockey Classic title fell short with a 4-2 loss to Northeastern in the final game of the tournament on Oct. 11 at the Sullivan Arena ... the loss broke a five-game unbeaten streak in the tournament (3-0-1) ... the last defeat was in 2005 against Vermont (0-2) ... during the loss to Northeastern, UAA racked up a season-high 34 penalty minutes ... under head coach Dave Skyiak, the Seawolves are 4-2-2 in the Classic ... prior to last season, the Classic was referred to as the Nye Frontier Classic since 2001-02 ... on Oct. 10, UAA downed Connecticut, 6-2 (UAA's largest margin of victory during the season, season-high-tying 6 goals, and season-high 12 assists) ... Alaska Fairbanks won the tournament for the first time after defeating Northeastern in a shootout ...  Seawolves F Josh Lunden and D Mat Robinson were selected to the All-Tournament team ... UAF's Dion Knelsen was named the Most Outstanding Player.

SEAWOLVES RECEIVE VOTE IN NATIONAL POLL: The Seawolves garnered one vote in the initial USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Division I Men's Poll , released on Oct. 5 ... Western Collegiate Hockey Association member Denver leads the ranking at No. 1 with 20 first-place votes, followed by Boston University (17) and Michigan (2). See full poll on page 6 of weekly release.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR THIS SEASON: The Seawolves will suit up their most seniors since the 2002-03 campaign - seven - as they look to end their UAA career with a winning record and a berth in the 2010 Red Baron^TM WCHA Final Five ... looking for their 100th game-played mark this season are senior D Nils Backstrom (83), senior D Trevor Hunt (75) and junior F Craig Parkinson (68) ... senior F Josh Lunden (101), senior F Kevin Clark (105) and senior F Jared Tuton (103) have already reached 100 games played ... senior F Josh Lunden will try to break into the top 20 of the all-time career goals scored list at UAA - he currently sits tied for 25th with 39 goals - and has scored the most goals for a Seawolf since the ending of Steve Cygan's career in 2002 (44)... in net, senior Jon Olthuis (15 wins) needs five more wins to break into the top 10 in the UAA all-time career book ... junior G Bryce Christianson needs a 2.30 goals-against average or better this season to bypass Gregg Naumenko and lead the all-time single-season GAA list at Alaska Anchorage ... fifth-year head coach Dave Shyiak (40-86-19) should capture his 50th career victory this season.

SEAWOLVES DOMINATE TROJANS IN WASILLA:   Junior F Craig Parkinson scored a pair of first-period goals and freshman F Daniel Naslund added two in the final stanza to highlight Alaska Anchorage's 9-0 rout of SAIT Polytechnic in an exhibition hockey game at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena on Oct. 2 ... six Seawolves posted multi-point nights, led by Parkinson's 2-goal, 1-assist effort, and junior F Tommy Grant's one goal and two helpers ... Parkinson got UAA on the board with an unassisted goal 15:28 into the action ... a few minutes later, the 6-0, 187-pound center from Victoria, British Columbia, redirected a pass from junior D Kane Lafranchise to widen the gap ... the Seawolves made it three goals in less than four minutes when sophomore D Curtis Leinweber scored on a pass from freshman F Alex Gellert ... Leinweber later added an assist, while Gellert and Lafranchise finished with two assists apiece ... UAA notched a pair of even-strength goals in the second period by F Sean Wiles and F Jade Portwood before finishing off the night with strikes from Grant, senior D Luka Vidmar, and Naslund twice in the third ... senior G Jon Olthuis collected seven saves in 30 minutes, 27 seconds ... junior G Bryce Christianson took over midway through the second and posted 10 saves to preserve the shutout.