A freshman Nanook hockey player has been charged with furnishing alcohol to five minors for a birthday party.

Police arrested UAF redshirt defenseman Dustin Molle, 21, on March 23 after police discovered a keg he purchased in a vehicle driven by juveniles, according to the complaint. Molle pled not guilty Friday.

Coach Tavis MacMillan wouldn't comment specifically on the case or Molle's status on the team. But he said, in general, hockey players aren't dismissed from the team "unless it has been multiple, multiple, multiple offenses."

"Certainly nobody benefits by being so-called left behind after one speed bump," MacMillan said. He added that he stands "100 percent" behind Molle's character.

"He's very well respected among his teammates, coaches and peers," MacMillan said.

According to the complaint, the Fairbanks Police Department received a report Friday around 10:20 p.m. about a group of people at Industrial Avenue who might have been casing local businesses. Sgt. Eric Jewkes arrived in the area and saw two vehicles leaving, which he followed.

Jewkes stopped the vehicles at the corner of Peger Road and Mitchell Expressway. In one vehicle, which contained only juveniles, police found a 15-gallon keg of Coors Light, the complaint says. In the other vehicle, police found Molle, the only person old enough to have purchased the keg, the complaint says.

Molle admitted to buying the keg at Gold Star Liquor for the group for a birthday party, the complaint says. A clerk at Gold Star confirmed Molle bought the keg.

Molle was booked at Fairbanks Correctional Center. He now faces five Class A misdemeanor counts of furnishing alcohol to minors. The five juveniles, identified only by initials in the complaint, ranged in age from 15 to 18.

Molle, a civil engineering major, transferred from UAA in August after playing only three games for the Seawolves.

After sitting on the bench for most of the season, Molle returned to the Waterloo Black Hawks of the United State Hockey League, which he had played for from 2002-2005.

Back with Waterloo, Molle played in 32 games and made three goals and 12 points. NCAA Division I transfer rules for student athletes prevented the 6-foot-2, 231-pound defenseman from playing this year, but hockey observers had noted the defenseman would have lots of time to play in the next three years.

This was senior defenseman Nathan Fornatro's last season. Juniors Darcy and T.J. Campbell and Brandon Gawryletz are scheduled to leave next season.

Molle's brother Bryant Molle will join the Nanooks next season.