Mac Swanson
Anchorage’s Mac Swanson keeps cementing his status as the most productive pucks prospect among Alaska teenagers.
The second-year forward for the Fargo Force of the U.S. Hockey League, the country’s top junior circuit, racked five more points in three games over the weekend to extend his career-best points streak to nine games.
Swanson, 18, pocketed two assists in Friday’s 5-3 loss at Tri-City, delivered a goal in Saturday’s 4-3 shootout win at Tri-City and closed the series with a goal and a primary assist Sunday in a 6-2 loss in the series finale.
He owns 5-8—13 totals in that nine-game span to pump his scoring line to 23-43—66 in 48 games. Swanson leads the league in assists, and he ranks second in points and plus-minus rating (plus-35).
Swanson, who will be a true freshman at North Dakota in the fall, has generated at least a point in 38 of 48 games this season and owns nearly twice as many multiple-point performances (18) than point-free performances (10). He has reeled off point streaks of nine games, seven games, six games (twice) and four games.
On top of all that, he has only twice been whistled for a penalty this season and currently has gone 22 consecutive games without an infraction.
Swanson is a natural center, but he has been playing left wing on league-leading Fargo’s top line. He was an All-Rookie selection last season after going 12-43—55 in 57 games.
Swanson is a potential NHL draft pick this summer. About the only shortcoming in his game is something he can’t control – size. He’s 5-foot-7.5 and 167 pounds according to NHL Central Scouting.
Wolverines’ winger Oliver Salo lets one rip. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Elsewhere in juniors, the Anchorage Wolverines lost their franchise-record, 12-game, North American Hockey League winning streak but gained a franchise-record, 13-game point streak (12-0-1).
The Wolverines fell 5-4 in a shootout against the visiting Minnesota Wilderness at Ben Boeke Arena on Saturday night. They rallied from a 4-2 deficit after two periods to force extra time. Forward Bryce Monrean of Anchorage spearheaded the late charge by setting up Arvega Hovsepyan’s second goal of the night, then scoring off a primary assist from defenseman Camden Shasby to forge a tie with less than four minutes remaining in regulation.
Anchorage solidified its second-place status in the Midwest Division, which it has a reasonable shot at winning. The Wolverines (34-13-5, 73 points) sit three points behind the Wisconsin Windigo (35-14-6, 76 points), but have eight games remaining in their regular season to Wisconsin’s five games.
The Wolverines travel to Fairbanks to play the Ice Dogs on Friday and Saturday nights before entertaining the Ice Dogs on March 29-30.
Anchorage already owns a franchise-record 34 wins and is only one point away from tying the franchise record of 74 points, which it clocked in its inaugural season of 2021-22.