Sports : Diamond in the rough - Frontiersman

Diamond in the rough

By Tyson Alger
For the Frontiersman
Published on Thursday, December 25, 2008 10:12 PM AKST

WASILLA — While the Alaska Avalanche don’t seem to have many things to be thankful for this holiday season, one bright spot in the midst of a season that has seen the Avs drop 11 straight games is the recent play of former Wasilla High School standout Matthew Friese. 

Friese, who signed with the Avs earlier in the season, has had his work cut out of him this year, having to quickly learn to transition from high school hockey to juniors.

Avs General Manager Jamie Smith said Friese has been adjusting to the tempo of junior hockey, which presents a big difference from the high school game.

ROBERT DeBERRY/Frontiersman Former Wasilla High School standout Matt Friese, left, has been looking to hit his stride on the juniors level with the Alaska Avalanche. He took a big step Saturday, scoring his first two goals as an Av '€” assisted by brother Adam.

“It’s a big jump to junior hockey,” Smith said.  “But (Matt) is starting to figure it out. His play has gotten much better. He’s more consistent.”

Friese said he’s still adjusting to the notched-up level of play at juniors.

“I haven’t really been getting a lot of points,” Friese said about the transition.  “I haven’t been super successful to start off, but I’m hoping that the hard work I’ve been putting in will pay off.”

Friese said he has kept a strong work ethic to earn more playing time, and last weekend that hard work paid off, as he played in both games against the first-place Fairbanks Ice Dogs.

And Friese made a statement in Saturday’s game that he belongs in the league, notching his first and second career goals in the second period.

“That first goal was one of the best feelings ever,” Friese said. “I’ve just been waiting for it to happen and now I finally got it off my back. That second goal was just a bonus.”

His two goals put the Avs into the third period with a 3-2 lead; however, a huge third period by the Ice Dogs would send the home team to its 11th straight loss, 7-4.

Adding to the excitement of his goals was the fact that his brother, Adam, assisted on both. 

“That made it a lot better,” he said. “After our last game in high school together we were pretty disappointed that we weren’t going to be playing with each other anymore.”

Adam and Matt proved to be a deadly duo last year for the Wasilla Warriors, both skating on the top line. But after the season Adam went on to graduate then signed with the Avs. Meanwhile. Matt was prepping to enter his junior year of playing for Wasilla. 

That changed in October when Matt signed with the Avs, rejoining his brother again.

“I love it,” Adam Friese said on the unexpected opportunity to keep playing with Matt. “We’ve played a lot together, and we’re brothers, so of course we got good chemistry.”

That chemistry was evident Saturday, as the brothers combined for four points, and Adam was more than happy to have the helpers for Matt’s goals.

“It was pretty sweet, especially in front of the home crowd,” Adam Friese said. “I’ve also been in kind of a points slump too, so it was nice to get that.”

While both Friese brothers go into the break on personal high notes, the Avs are looking to regroup over Christmas and rebound for the second half of the season.

For Matt Friese, that means doing what he’s always done.

“I just got to work hard, do my best and encourage everybody,” he said.  “And hopefully, we’ll get out of this losing streak.”

Contact Tyson Alger at 352-2273 or sports@frontiersman.com.

 

Copyright © 2009 Frontiersman

Comments

15 comment(s)

    Joel Dawn wrote on Jan 4, 2009 10:42 AM:

    " Way to go guys!!!!!! "

    hey sammi wrote on Jan 1, 2009 9:34 PM:

    " if theyre so good, why 11 losses in a row?

    3 seasons of losing?

    your on something if you think the avs are good. "

    Sammi wrote on Dec 31, 2008 12:18 PM:

    " I am at every game.... I also work for the Avalanche.... I love the Avalanche.... even if we are losing........and both Adam and Matt are amazing hockey players and I am glad we signed Matt.... and hockey players are hockey players it dosent matter where they are from.....it only matters if they are good..... a lot of the Alaska players are really good....

    GOOD LUCK ON FRIDAY! AVS!!!!!!! "

    Team effort wrote on Dec 29, 2008 5:58 PM:

    " No one cares about the Frieses.

    We care about winning hockey games.

    Unless they star stand out and WIN games, then who cares?

    Losing sucks. "

    Sam wrote on Dec 29, 2008 1:15 PM:

    " This was a great article on Jamie Smith???

    Good job Freezeeeees "

    Dargis family wrote on Dec 29, 2008 7:40 AM:

    " Good job Friese boys! Keep it up "

    Paleze quit smoking something wrote on Dec 27, 2008 9:13 PM:

    " I live in Wasilla and am more than proud to call the Palmer Moose Hockey Team, the Colony Knights Hockey Team, even the Lathrop High Hockey team in Fairbanks - "My Team". But the Avalanche, give me a break. They're as much my team as the old Sinbad Sailors. All they ever wanted was my money and undying loyalty even though coaching, management and numbers in the wins column stank. And yes it is Smith's fault because he doesn't have the experience to run the club and should go! "

    experience wrote on Dec 27, 2008 6:58 PM:

    " As an outsider, I have one question:

    What is Mr. Smiths hockey experience?

    PAHHLEEEZE: our team? Maybe since you know the most about the team, you can answer my question. "

    PALEEEEEZZZEEE wrote on Dec 27, 2008 3:40 PM:

    " Yeah there is only 12 or 13 kids from outside Alaska on the team.

    It's all Smiths fault isn't it!!

    It's an ALL ALASKAN team

    Do some homework on our team will ya. "

    Stragegy wrote on Dec 27, 2008 11:08 AM:

    " As for the Alaska only methodology employed by Smith, it's his business strategy. He believes if he has only Alaska kids, that his revenues will increase as the stands will be packed by mom, dad, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and friends of the player thus he's selling more tickets. Even relatives of kids on a losing team will BUY TICKETS and come to the games just to support the kid. Shrewed and desperate business strategy by a guy who really doesn't have a clue what he's doing. "

    BYE JAMIE.....OR... wrote on Dec 27, 2008 9:45 AM:

    " IF JAMIE SMITH DOESNT GO, THE PROGRAM WILL. THE OWNERS ARE EVIDENTLY AT A LOSS TO FIND COACHES. THESE KIDS ARE NOT AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE OTHERS IN JUNIOR A. SO, THEY KEEP LOSING. GET RID OF JAMIE. MY FAMILY ISNOT GOING TO ANOTHER GAME UNTIL HE DOES!!! MY KIDS AND I ARE TIRED OF WATCHING LOSING AFTER LOSS AFTER LOSS. "

    Get serious wrote on Dec 27, 2008 8:02 AM:

    " Let's see, we've got kids who think they've got what it takes to make it in Jr. Hockey or the NHL, and a governor who believes she can see Russia from her house and can be vice-president or president. Yes kids, this is what happens when you mix too many cartoons, with too many grand stories from mommy and daddy with way too many valley booze and drug parties. Supporting either of these tpes is like supporting a drug addict. This is why I won't attend an Avalanche game or vote for Palin - ever. "

    Happy for the Brothers BUT . . . wrote on Dec 27, 2008 7:50 AM:

    " I'm happy the Friese brothers are getting the opportunity to play together again BUT continuing to bring in all these young Alaskan players isn't proving to be beneficial. You had good "non Alaskan" veterans willing to come back to a team that had only won 16 games the previous season this fall and you cut them or treated the few non Alaskan players you kept like crap and didn't play them. WAKE UP WASILLA and stop dumping money into a losing program until there is someone with more than just Alaska High School hockey knowledge in charge! "

    don cherry wrote on Dec 26, 2008 11:18 PM:

    " more alaskan "standouts"? wow. the definition of insanity is? doing the same wrong thing over and over expecting a different result. i see a few of the mid-level sponsors have pulled out. more will follow unless winning returns. but i dont see more winning with alaskan players. with all due respect to alaska hockey. its just not th same as canada, "

    Pleeeeeeze wrote on Dec 26, 2008 8:36 AM:

    " The Friese boys can't do anything to turn this sinking ship around and it's a joke the Frontiersman wastes ink on such garbage. These two guys, like 99% of the hockey kids in Alaska, aren't going anywhere with their "big show" dreams their parents put in their heads. These kids will end up working stiffs like the rest of us with messed up joints and will have lined the pockets of guys like Jamie Smith. Any decent parent would realize this but too many of our hockey moms and dads actually think little Johnny will be the next NHL STAR! "

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