Five Minutes with Hunter Bishop

Being from Fairbanks, Alaska, is this weekend's series one you had marked on your calendar, or is it just another road series?
It's definitely a series I've been looking forward to this year. I've been going to Anchorage since I was 8 years old - six, seven, eight times a year to play hockey. It's kind of like my second home.
How far is it from Fairbanks?
In the summer, it's about a six-hour drive. Now, it's probably a seven, seven-and-a-half hour drive.
Is your family going to make the trek this weekend?
Oh yeah. The fam is coming down. A few of my friends are making the drive down, too, so it should be a fun trip.
What was the best part about growing up in Alaska?
I have a little outdoor rink on the side of my house. That was by far my favorite thing growing up. You can walk out your front door to the ice path and go straight over to the rink.
What was the worst part about growing up in Alaska?
In about January and February, it gets pretty cold. You don't get much time on the rink and you can't do much outdoors. That's probably the downfall.
What's something about Alaska that maybe most of us don't know?
In the summertime, you can tee off for golf at about 2 a.m., because there's 24 hours of sunlight. In the winter, when you go to school, the stars are out. When you leave school, the stars are out.
Where does hockey rank among the most popular sports with Alaskans?
I'd say hockey is definitely in the top two or three. A lot of sports like baseball and football have such a short season because our summers don't last very long. Hockey takes over.
Who would people say is the most famous Alaska native?
I'd say (New Jersey Devils forward) Scotty Gomez, for sure. Everyone knows Scotty Gomez.
Is he a guy you grew up idolizing?
I definitely knew about him since I was about 10 or 12. I think all kids wanted to be him when we were 16 or 17.
People said you were a Sioux fan last year in Vernon. How does an Alaskan wind up in Grand Forks?
Growing up in Fairbanks, I didn't see a lot of college hockey. When I got to the BCHL, I knew the Sioux always had a great team every year. Of course, everybody has heard about the rink. I always thought it would be a great place to be at. Everything just worked out.