Avalanche battle through another tough weekend

WASILLA —A young Alaska Avalanche team in the midst of an historic losing streak learned another difficult lesson Friday night courtesy of the Fairbanks Ice Dogs.

Fairbanks controlled the momentum from the outset and outplayed Alaska in virtually every facet of the game, handing the Avalanche a franchise-record 12th consecutive defeat by a 6-1 score at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

“It’s such a learning thing for us right now,” Alaska coach Jamie Smith said following the game.

Fairbanks would hand Alaska its 13th straight loss with a 4-3 win over the Avs on Saturday.

On Friday, sporting the North American Hockey League’s youngest roster, the Avalanche were overpowered by a veteran Fairbanks squad that racked up 44 shots on goal while simultaneously handcuffing any Alaska scoring opportunities.

But while Smith said his team is still battling through some difficult growing pains, he’s not going to let youth be an excuse for the team’s lengthy stretch without a victory.

“You can’t use that as a crutch,” he said.

Six different Fairbanks players scored goals for the Ice Dogs, who currently sit in third place in the NAHL’s South Division. The win improved Fairbanks to 55 points, while Alaska remained stuck on 32 points in fifth place in the division. Alaska currently trails Texas by six points for the division’s fourth and final playoff spot.

Fairbanks put up two goals in the first period, the first just seconds after Alaska came up empty on its first power play of the game. With a man coming out the box, the Ice Dogs picked up a 3-on-1 chance, converting the play when Eric Kraft banged home a rebound before Alaska could recover.

Fairbanks' second goal came on the Ice Dogs' first power play of the evening when Brock Shelgren put a low shot through the legs of Alaska goalie Dusan Sidor, who was screened by one of his own defenders on the play.

Sidor was busy from the get-go, facing 15 shots in the opening period as Fairbanks took firm control of the contest.

“We let them dictate the pace of the game from the beginning,” Smith said.

Things didn't get any easier in the second for Sidor or Alaska, as the Ice Dogs put up another 17 shots, beating the Poprad, Slovakia, native twice in the period.

Fairbanks went up 3-0 on a stellar individual effort by Randen Hill, who flipped the puck top shelf while being dragged to the ice by an Alaska defenseman just outside the crease. Just 13 seconds later, the Ice Dogs struck again when Jon Waggoner put back his own rebound to give Fairbanks a 4-0 lead heading into the second intermission.

Though Alaska failed to score in the period, the second was the team’s most energetic offensive period, as the Avalanche posted 10 shots and got several good scoring opportunities. Smith said he saw some encouraging signs from his team during the second.

“The way we came out in the second period is the way we need to come out to start the game,” he said.

The Ice Dogs added another pair of goals in the third period, picking up scores by Ryan Kayfes and Nick Guran to go up by half a dozen.

Alaska fans did get a couple reasons to cheer in the third period. First, forward Dylan Jones brought the crowd to its feet by getting the better of Drew Darwitz in the game’s lone scrap. Later in the period, newly-acquired forward Billy Colclough scored his first goal of the season, scoring off a nifty pass from Joe Harren, who kicked the puck to Colclough from behind the Ice Dogs’ goal.

Colclough’s goal broke up the shutout for Fairbanks goalie Cody Reichard, who finished the game with 20 saves on 21 Alaska shots. Sidor stopped 38 shots for Alaska in the loss.

The two teams hook up again Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the Menard Memorial Arena.

Fairbanks 4, Alaska 3

WASILLA — The Fairbanks Ice Dogs erupted for four goals within a six-minute stretch late in the second period, and skated away with a 4-3 win over the Alaska Avalanche at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena on Saturday.

The Alaska loss marks the Avs’ 13th straight.

Alaska took the lead midway through the first with Kyle Pichler’s 17th goal of the season.

Tommy Engseth gave the Avs the 2-0 advantage early in the second with his third goal of the year.

But then the Dogs did their damage.

Derek Brandish, Ryan Santana, Nick Guran and Andrew McCabe each scored between the 13 and 20 minute marks of the second period.

Tyler Currier brought the Avs within a goal, with his score midway through the third. Alaska and Fairbanks posted seven shots each during the final period, but the Avs were unable to notch the equalizer.

The Avs were without their two top scorers in the game, forwards Jeremiah Dargis and Alex Young.

Both Dargis and Young were selected to compete in the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, which is slated to begin today in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Alaska continues league play on Wednesday against Topeka at 7 p.m. at the Menard Memorial Arena.

Fairbanks 4, Alaska 3

Saturday, Menard Memorial Arena

Fairbanks 0-4-0—4

Alaska 1-1-1—3

First period — 1. Alaska- Pichler (Jones, Cohen) 9:57.

Second period — 2. Alaska- Engseth (Zierden) 5:58, 3. Fairbanks- Bradish (Kirtland, McRae) 13:21, 4. Fairbanks- Santana (Kraft) 13:49, 5. Fairbanks- Guran (Mikola, Darwitz) 17:46, 6. Fairbanks- McCabe (Carlson) 19:33.

Third period — 7. Alaska- Currier (Niedzielak) 7:39.

Shots on goal: Fairbanks 14-19-7—40, Alaska 9-6-7—22; Saves: Fairbanks- Copeland 8-5-6—19, Alaska- Corey 14-15-7—36; Power plays: Fairbanks 0-for-3, Alaska 0-for-1; Penalties: Fairbanks 1-for-2, Alaska 3-for-6.

ICE DOGS 6, AVALANCHE 1

Friday, Menard Memorial Arena

Alaska 0 0 1 — 1

Fairbanks 2 2 2 — 6

First period — 1. Fairbanks- Kraft (Kavaya), 14:16; 2. Fairbanks- Shelgren (Stonacek, McCabe), pp, 17:26

Second period — 3. Fairbanks- Hill (McRae, Guran), 10:09; 4. Fairbanks- Waggoner (Kraft, McCabe), 11:12

Third period — 5. Fairbanks- Kayfes (Bidwill), 12:41; 6. Fairbanks- Guran (Hill, McRae), 15:19; 7. Alaska- Colclough (Harren, Rasmussen), 17:18

Shots: Alaska 6-10-5 — 21, Fairbanks 18-14-12 — 44. Saves: Alaska- Sidor 16-12-10 — 38, Fairbanks- Reichard 6-10-4 — 20. Penalties: Alaska 6 for 15:00, Fairbanks 5 for 13:00. Power plays: Alaska 0 for 3, Fairbanks 1 for 4

Contact Matt Tunseth at 352-2265.