Anchorage hockey community sees benefits of junior hockey, Avs in Southcentral Alaska

PALMER — Sort of an impromptu hockey reunion was forming Friday night.

The Alaska Avalanche tend to draw folks from the Southcentral Alaska hockey circle to the MTA Palmer Ice Arena on game nights, and Friday was no different. The night actually could have started a new rivalry among second-generation Anchorage pucksters.

A pair of longtime staples of the Anchorage hockey community each had sons skating as the Avs hosted the Wenatchee Wild. Kory Wright, head coach of the Anchorage-based Alaska All-Stars U-18 AAA squad, was out to watch his son Connor, a rookie forward with the Avs. Former UAA forward Todd Christianson was in Palmer to see the debut of his son Gage, who was skating in his first game with the Wild.

Both agreed the Avs and the North American Hockey League are reasons why more Alaska players are getting the opportunity to play at higher levels of hockey.

“I think the programs in Alaska have done a fantastic jobs of recognizing the talent in Alaska and embracing the talent in Alaska,” Wright said following the Avs’ 3-1 win over Wenatchee.

There are currently more than two dozen players from the 49th state playing in the NAHL The Avs and the Kenai River Brown Bears each have eight Alaskans on their current rosters. The Fairbanks Ice Dogs have four players from the Interior on their roster.

“With three very strong programs here in Alaska, kids are recognizing that they can still compete here at home, and still have the opportunity to compete at the next level — college,” Wright said.

The Last Frontier has produced its share of hockey talent, ranging from NHL All-Stars and Stanley Cup champions to NCAA Division I standouts.

“We’ve definitely been a pipeline for years, but it used to be kind of a secret,” said Wright, an Anchorage native who played at Northern Michigan University and professionally for the Aces. “There have been some big-name kids coming out of Alaska that have created a lot of opportunities for Alaska kids.”

Alaska has been home to Junior B teams in the past, but before the existing NAHL teams began to thrive in Alaska, the state’s top talent was forced to head Outside to further their careers.

“Kids who wanted to play at a higher level were getting pushed out of town at a younger age if they wanted to get into that competitive environment to get to the next level,” Wright said.

Christianson did some scouting for the Valley’s Junior A franchise when it settled in Wasilla more than five years ago. The former Seawolf said he’s impressed with the organization’s improvement.

“Both (general manager Dave Boitz and head coach Brian Huebel) have done a fantastic job turning this program around,” Christianson said. “It’s been an impressive turnaround.”

Avs host final home series

PALMER — The Alaska Avs host their final home series of the regular season Friday and Saturday at the MTA Palmer Ice Arena. The Avs face the Fresno Monsters, with the puck dropping at 7:30 p.m. each night.

The series also marks the Avs’ Alaska USA Federal Credit Union Military Appreciation Weekend. The Avs will wear special military-themed jerseys during the games, and will auction each of those game-worn sweaters between periods of both games. To place an auction remotely, contact general manager Dave Boitz at 354-5820 or dave.akavalanche@hotmail.com before Friday’s game.

The Avs are also looking to hold on to second place in the North American Hockey League West Division. The Avs currently sit in second with a 29-21-3 mark and 61 points, two points ahead of third-place Wenatchee.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/matsu_sports.