Wasilla graduate experiences chance of a lifetime

WASILLA — It was an average Monday afternoon in early April for most. But not for one former Wasilla High School hockey standout.

As many in his hometown were muscling through the work or school day April 8, Chancie Hanson was helping to hoist a trophy and skating that celebratory lap around the ice of the Rochester Recreation Center.

For Hanson, it was a chance of a lifetime.

Hanson, a rookie defenseman for the North Iowa Bulls, helped his team score a 6-2 victory over the Twin Cities (Minn.) Northern Lights in the final game of the USA Hockey Tier III National Champions.

“It’s definitely up there,” Hanson said recently of where winning a Junior A national title ranks among the moments of his hockey career. “It was definitely awesome to be a part of such a great group of guys, and see all the hard work pay off.”

The victory gave Hanson a chance to fulfill a goal realized by a mere fraction of athletes in his sport — winning a national title. The feat is even more rare for someone like Hanson, who hails from a small community like Wasilla.

Before skating through the ranks of local youth associations, Hanson was a standout defenseman for the Wasilla Warriors and the Alaska All-Stars. Hanson has long aspired to play hockey beyond the high school level, and after capping a stellar four-year career with the Warriors, the 2012 WHS graduate accepted an opportunity to play for the Bulls, a young franchise in the North American 3 Hockey League. The Bulls thought enough of Hanson to make him their first tender of the 2012 offseason.

After taking time to adjust to the new level of hockey, Hanson settled into his new role and skated in 29 games for the Bulls, netting a goal and nine assists, while posting a rating of plus-23.

As a high school player, Hanson, a Warrior captain, was needed to push the puck up the ice and consistently factor into the offense. As a Junior A player, Hanson needed to focus on his play at the defensive end.

“It’s a huge adjustment to go from being the guy to being a role player,” Hanson said. “Once I kind of found my grove, I was more solid on the blue line and started getting on the scoresheet. You have to find your role. I had some trouble (at the beginning), but ended up getting in there and being a pretty major part of the team’s success.”

Hanson worked his way into the lineup and became a regular among the Bulls’ defense core. Hanson skated in all six of his team’s postseason games. In three NA3HL playoff games, Hanson collected a team-high four assists and posted a plus-4 rating. He also played in all three of his team’s games in the 2013 Silver Cup, the NA3HL championship tournament, and finished with a plus-4 rating.

In the national tournament, which included eight teams from Junior A Tier III leagues across the country, Hanson skated in four of hits team’s five games for the 5-0 Bulls. He notched an assist during a 5-1 pool play win over the Northern Lights.

After finishing 3-0 in pool play, North Iowa needed a 3-2 double-overtime semifinal win over the Helana Bighorns of the America West Hockey League to advance to the championship.

“Our coach kept telling us going into the national tournament, there are a lot of good teams out there, but we had the opportunity to be a great team,” Hanson said. “Everything came together. It was incredible to be a part of.”

At the beginning of his first season of junior hockey, Hanson said he quickly figured out how different junior hockey is.

“It’s a whole different beast,” Hanson said.

It took time for Hanson to adjust, but without the guidance of his high school coaches, notably Bill Sturdevant and Jeff Urban, Hanson said he would have been much less prepared.

“The preparation I received playing for Bill and Jeff was the best,” Hanson said. “They had the best advice I could have received. They helped me prepare.”

Hanson said the intensity and style of the Bulls team practices was very similar to what he was used to with Wasilla High hockey.

“It was the same tempo,” Hanson said.

Even though he was still adjusting to the overall speed of the next level, Hanson said the training he received at the high school level helped him have success with the Bulls.

“I owe a whole lot to Bill and Jeff,” Hanson said.

Overall, Hanson said, his experience with the Bulls and life in Mason City, Iowa, was a success. Hanson said Mason City is comparable to Wasilla.

“Just take the mountains and replace them with cornfields,” he said.

Mason City has long been a home of Junior Hockey, boasting franchises in both the United States Hockey League and North American Hockey League. Former Alaska Avalanche head coach Dave Boitz was the head coach of the NAHL’s North Iowa Outlaws before taking the job with the Avs. Former Houston High standout Larry Kincaid also spent part of a season with the Outlaws.

Hanson said the support of the fans is tremendous. North Iowa lead the NA3HL with an average attendance of 821.

“The town kind of fell in love with us,” Hanson said.

Hanson, 19, can return to North Iowa for another season. He is also eligible for the upcoming Tier II Junior A North American Hockey League draft, scheduled for June 4.

Hanson said he is planning on attending the Alaska tryout camp for the Kenai River Brown Bears, one of two NAHL franchises in Alaska. Each NAHL team is required to tender at least one NA3HL player per offseason. The Brown Bears have yet to use a 2013 tender on a player from Hanson’s league.

North Iowa has had success placing players at higher levels. As of early May, nine Bulls had graduated to a higher level of hockey. Four players committed to Division III schools and five were tendered by NAHL teams.

Hanson could find a number of opportunities at the Division III level.

But regardless of which route he takes in his hockey career, Hanson will never forget the chance he had to celebrate a national championship.

Contact Jeremiah Bartz at 352-2273 or sports@frontiersman.com.