Alaska pads cushion at top of NAHL West

FAIRBANKS — The goal of the Alaska Avalanche in early December was to build as big of a cushion as possible at the top of the North American Hockey League standings.

So far, the Avs are doing a pretty good job.

Alaska scored a 3-2 victory over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks on Thursday, and now own an nine-point advantage over second-place Fairbanks in the standings.

Mitch Kontny posted the game-winning goal on the power play early in the third period to help the Avs improve to 21-9-1 overall, good enough for 43 points in the NAHL West standings. Fairbanks (34 points) dropped to 14-6-6 with the loss.

The Avs, who also lead third-place Kenai River by 10 points in the standings, scored a pair of goals in the second period to take the lead.

Anchorage native Connor Wright put the Avs on the scoreboard at the 1:42 mark of the second period. Later in the period, Evan Janssen scored on the power play to give the Avs the 2-0 lead.

Fairbanks was able to tie the score late in the period with a pair of JT Osborn goals. Osborn, who leads the NAHL with 42 points, put the Ice Dogs on the scoreboard at the 18:00 mark of the second. Just more than a minute later, Osborn scored again to tie the score. Osborn’s second score, at the 19:11 mark, came on the power play.

Fairbanks native Nick Kulmanovsky stopped 23 Ice Dogs shots to earn the win in the Alaska net.

Alaska improved to 4-0-0 over its biggest rival, Fairbanks, with the win. The Avs swept a key three-game series against the Ice Dogs at the MTA Events Center in Palmer in late October. With an assist, forward Gage Christianson now as a team-high eight points against the Ice Dogs (three goals and five assists).

Alaska continues its three-game set in the Interior tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Big Dipper. The rivals also meet Saturday in Fairbanks.

After Saturday’s game, the Avs will be on a 20-day break. Their schedule resumes Dec. 30 against the Wenatchee Wild in Washington.

Alaska 3, Fairbanks 2

Thursday, Big Dipper Ice Arena

First period — no scoring.

Second period — 1. Alaska- Wright (Pavek, Kinkopf) 1:41; 2. Alaska- Janssen (Nelson, Novakovich) pp 9:49; 3. Fairbanks- Osborn (Woods, Levin) 18:00; 4. Fairbanks- Osborn (Hajdukovich, Levin) 19:11.

Third period — 5. Alaska- Kontny (Schmitz, Christianson) pp 1:03.

Shots on goal: Alaska 6-11-4-21, Fairbanks 5-11-9—25; Saves: Alaska- Kulmanovsky 5-9-9—23, Fairbanks- Fons 6-9-3—18; Power plays: Alaska 2 for 4, Fairbanks 1 for 3.