Alaska-Fairbanks coach Guy Gadowsky has dismissed two players from the team for unspecified violations of team rules during the 2002-03 season.
The players are both freshmen, forwards Doug Auchenberg and Russell Spence.
“They were dismissed for rules violations,” Gadowsky told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. “I don’t feel good about it. We lost two very talented players.”
Spence played in 23 games and had two goals and nine assists for 11 points. He was selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in the ninth round of the 2002 NHL Draft.
Auchenberg also played in 23 games, recording two goals and 13 assists for 15 points. He was suspended for the Nanooks’ final eight games because of rules violations.
According to the News-Miner, Spence will work with the Coyotes to find a place to play next season, while Auchenberg could return to junior hockey. Auchenberg’s father, Dan, coaches the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders. Auchenberg was the fifth leading scorer in the AJHL in his last year there prior to joining UAF.
Auchenberg and Spence were the two most highly touted players in the Nanooks’ freshman class of five entering 2002-03. They ranked first and second respectively among rookie scorers for UAF.
Alaska-Fairbanks finished with a record of 15-14-7 overall and finished in a tie for eighth in the CCHA at 10-11-7. The Nanooks were eliminated by Michigan State in two games in the first round of the CCHA tournament.
