Another series with the Dogs

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Frontiersman sports editor

WASILLA - How about a little hockey deja vu?

For the second-straight week, the Wasilla Spirit meet in a home-and-home series with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs. The set starts today as the Spirit visit the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks to face the Dogs.

Wasilla returns home tomorrow to host Fairbanks at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena at 7:30 p.m.

The Spirit (4-3-0) earned the split with Fairbanks (4-2-1), thanks to a 4-1 win at the Menard on Saturday. Fairbanks scored a 3-1 victory the night before.

Wasilla head coach Dean Larson said goaltending was the key in both games. Spirit netminder Jerry Kuhn struggled in the first game, allowing two goals earl in the first period of Friday's loss. But Kuhn rebounded the following day to record 29 saves and the win.

&#8221I thought our goaltender played a lot better,“ Larson said. &#8221He didn't give up any soft goals, and that's the key. A couple quick soft goals put us behind the eight ball (on Friday).“

Another key, Larson said, was scoring on some of the quality chances Wasilla had. Eric Dahl and David Gault scored within a two-minute span in the second period on Saturday.

Dahl poked the puck beneath the leg pad of Ice Dog goalie Bryce Christiansen and into the net for the Spirit's first goal. That score tied the game.

Just more than a minute later David Gault, Wasilla's leading scorer, lifted a puck over the Ice Dog netminder, while he was caught in a scramble in front of the Fairbanks net.

Dahl and Gualt each added late empty-netters in the game.

The Spirit, who face Fairbanks a total of 14 times this season, are currently a half-game behind the Ice Dogs. Fairbanks is at the top of the North Division of the North American Hockey League.

Wasilla has added a goaltender to its roster. The Spirit signed Brandon Adamovich earlier this week. Adamovich comes to Wasilla from the Dubuque Thunderbirds of the Minnesota Hockey League. Dubuque is the same squad Spirit forward Jake Williams skated for last season. Adamovich, a native of Eagle River, Wisc., earned his first MJHL career win on Sept. 16, as he led the Thunderbirds to a 6-3 win over the St. Paul Lakers. Adamovich stopped 31 shots in the win.

Adamovich replaces injured goaltender Spike Alvarez on the Spirit roster.