Avalanche back to winning ways

WENATCHEE, Wash. — During a recent four-game losing streak, the Alaska Avalanche ran into a string of hot goaltenders. Head coach Brian Huebel knows that, but he also knows that’s something Avs can’t fixate on.

“We’ve got to bury some of those chances,” Huebel said by cell phone from Washington after a 4-3 shootout loss to the Wenatchee Wild on Friday. “We’ve got to bury some pucks. We have to do that a little more consistantly.”

On Saturday, Alaska buried one when it really counted.

Matt Friese scored shorthanded with three seconds left in regulation to give the Avs a 3-2 win over Wenatchee. Friese scored twice in the final period to help the Avs get the win, improve to 26-18-3 overall and move back into sole possession of second place. Wenatchee had forced a second-place tie with the shootout win on Friday.

Defenseman Daniel Senkbeil recorded an unassisted tally midway through the first to give the Avs the 1-0 lead. After Wenatchee tied the score in the second, Friese pushed his team into the lead, scoring two minutes into the final period.

It marked the second time in as many nights that Alaska scored with just three seconds left in regulation. On Friday, newcomer Eliot Grauer, who was acquired in a trade with Wenatchee hours before the game, forced overtime by scoring the game-tying goal with three seconds left in the third. The teams skated scoreless in overtime and Wenatchee goalie Brandon Jaeger denied five Avalanche shooters.

Wenatchee’s fifith shooter, DJ Vandercook, was able to sneak a puck by Alaska goalie Landon Peterson to get the shootout win.

For more on the Grauer trade, which sent forward Jake Barber to Wenatchee, see the Tuesday edition of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman.