Another from Minnesota to bolster Avs roster

WASILLA — Dave Boitz is constructing a hockey pipeline from the Land of 10,000 Lakes to the Last Frontier.

For the second time in about a month, the Alaska head coach has added a native of Minnesota to the Avalanche roster.

Forward Sean Randall is the latest Minnesota product to join the Avalanche and is among a half-dozen Minnesota natives now on the roster. The Avs acquired Randall in a trade with the St. Paul Lakers, and sent forward Rudy Pino to theMinnesota Junior Hockey League team.

In December, the Avs brought forward Cory Belisle to Alaska, thanks to a trade with North American Hockey League rival North Iowa.

Coincidentally, Randall and Belisle — who has a goal and an assist in four games since joining the Avs — hail from neighboring Minnesota towns.

“They’ve played with and against each other since they were squirts,” Boitz said.

Randall is from Coon Rapids, Minn., while Belisle is from Anoka, which is also the hometown of Boitz.

Boitz, who served as the head coach at North Iowa last season, saw both players skate at the high school level.

“They were on two of the best lines in that conference,” Boitz said.

Randall’s impact with the Avs was immediate. He scored in his debut, netting one of Alaska’s three goals during a 7-3 loss to Fairbanks last week.

“He really worked hard this weekend,” Boitz said.

Randall — a 6-foot-2 and 200-pound forward — averaged nearly a point per game during his stay with St. Paul. In 26 games, Randall added 10 goals and added 14 assists.

Randall started the season with the NAHL’s Owatonna Express, and grabbed three goals in four games. He was also a +6.

“If you look at it, he actually has four goals in five (NAHL) games,” Boitz said.

Now Randall will try to help the Avs score a few points during a two-game series against Kenai River that starts today in Wasilla.

Fourth-place Alaska (11-17-1) currently sits two points behind Kenai River (11-21-3) in the NAHL West Division standings.

A pair of Alaska losses at Fairbanks last weekend and two Kenai River wins at Wenatchee pushed the Avs into the West cellar. Alaska will now have ample opportunity to leap its rival. The Avs’ next four games are against Kenai River.

Alaska will travel to Kenai River to face the Brown Bears next weekend.

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