WASILLA — Last season, the Wenatchee Wild won 10 of 14 regular season meetings with the Alaska Avalanche.

And then the Wild posted three more wins over Alaska during a best-of-5 first-round playoff series.

But that was last season.

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Now, the Avs are eager to drop for the first time  during the 2009-10 season series between the two North American Hockey League West Division rivals.

“No doubt they’ll be keyed up for the weekend,” Alaska head coach Dave Boitz said of his team earlier this week. “They’re a first-place team, and the team that beat us out of the playoffs.”

Alaska will host Wenatchee, the team that currently holds the top spot in the NAHL West, tonight at Saturday at the Curtis Menard II Memorial Ice Arena. Both games are slated to start at 7 p.m.

Not only is Wenatchee the top squad in the West, but the Wild will bring a NAHL-high 16 wins to the Menard.

“They’re definitely real talented,” Boitz said. “They’ve got good goaltending, they’re solid all over.”

Although the Washington-state based squad did finish with a 10-3-1 record in 14 regular season games against the Avs last season, the series was arguably much closer than the overall mark would indicate.

Six of the 14 games were decided by just one goal, and Alaska averaged three goals per contest against the Wild last season.

This weekend mere consistency could be the difference between a win and a loss.

“Consistency will be key,” Boitz said.

Despite, posting eight wins during its first 12 games this season, Boitz said his team has had its brushes with inconsistency. 

 Alaska played the Bismarck Bobcats five times in late September and early October. The Avs dominated the Bobcats during the first three games. But Bismarck was able to score wins during the fourth and fifth games of the stretch.

“We’re trying to become more consistent,” Boitz said. “We’ve had signs of brilliance, and signs of not-so brilliant.”

Alaska has put the puck in the net at a steady rate of 3.5 goals per game. With its pair solid netminders, Kale Robertson and Landon Peterson, the Avs are allowing only about 2.5 goals per contest.

Robertson is currently third in the NAHL in both goals against average (1.83) and saves percentage (.931).

While Alaska, has been off since hosting Bismarck on Oct. 6, the series against the Avalanche will cap Wenatchee’s seven-game tour throughout Alaska.

Last week, the Wild scored a pair of wins over the defending NAHL West Division champion Fairbanks Ice Dogs.

Early this week, Wenatchee swept Kenai River in a two-game set at the Soldotna Sports Center.

Following this series, Alaska will face in-state rivals Kenai River and Fairbanks in eight games over the next month.

Alaska heads south to face Kenai River in Soldotna Oct. 23-24. The Avs are back in Wasilla to host Fairbanks Oct. 30-31.

Avs make roster moves

Alaska made a pair of roster moves earlier this week.

First-year forward Parker Tomczyk was traded to the Dubuque Thunderbirds of the Central States Hockey League for future considerations.

Another forward , Zach May, was released and has since signed with the Thunderbirds.

Boitz said both moves were made due to playing time.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com. 

IF YOU GO

What: Alaska Avalanche vs. Wenatchee Wild

Where: Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena, Wasilla

When: Today, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 7 p.m.