Avalanche begin series in Canada Saturday

DAWSON CREEK (Can.) — The Alaska Avalanche are in Canada this weekend, eager to protect their top spot in the North American Hockey League West Division.

The Avs (22-10-3), who lead second-place Fairbanks by four points in the standings, open a two-game set against the Dawson Creek Rage in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada, Saturday at 6 p.m. AST. The series continues Sunday at 2 p.m. AST.

The Avs were 4-1-2 in December and are 13-4-2 since Nov. 1, but are looking to snap a three-game losing skid.

Alaska was swept during a two-game series at the Wenatchee Wild in Wenatchee, Wash., last week. The Avs outshot the Wild in each game and 60-42 in the series, but fell 3-2 both nights. Wenatchee needed a shootout to edge the Avs 3-2 the first night. Connor Wright scored to tie the game at 1 for the Avs late in the first period. After Wenatchee took a 2-1 lead in the second, Ross Pavek tied the game at 2 with 13:36 left in the third.

Wenatchee took a 2-0 lead on Saturday. Wehebe Darge netted a score at the 18:04 mark of the second period to put the Avs on the scoreboard.

Wenatchee pushed its lead to 3-1 early in the second. Alaska, skating with the extra attacker, scored late in the game to put within a goal. Leading scorer Evan Janssen posted his team-high 17th goal of the year.

Alaska is 5-1-0 against Dawson Creek this year, and 2-1-0 in Canada. The Rage beat Alaska 4-2 in the first meeting of the year between the West Division rivals, but the Avs have won five straight against the Avs. Janssen leads the Avs with five goals and five assists against Dawson Creek.

Kevin Novakovich has a team-best seven assists against the Rage, who sit in last place of the NAHL West with a 7-24-2 record.

Alaska continues its nine-game road trip Jan. 13, with a three-game series against the Fresno Monsters in Fresno, Calif.

Wenatchee 3, Alaska 2

Dec. 31, Wenatchee, Wash.

First period — 1. Wenatchee- Redmond (Carey, Roubos) 15:41.

Second period — 2. Wenatchee- Pauly (Kerr, McHugh) 9:10; 3. Alaska- Darge (Brossoit) 18:04.

Third period — 4. Wenatchee- Roubos (Carey, Abood) pp 0:52; 5. Alaska- Janssen (Buchanan, Schmitz) ea 18:55.

Shots on goal: Alaska 7-10-10—27, Wenatchee 3-8-8—19; Saves: Alaska- Kulmanovsky 2-7-7—16, Wenatchee- Lewis 7-9-9—25; Power plays: Alaska 0 for 6, Wenatchee 1 for 6.

Wenatchee 3, Alaska 2 SO

Dec. 30, Wenatchee, Wash.

First period — 1. Wenatchee- Kerr (Pauly, McHugh) pp 11:07; 2. Alaska- Wright (Schmitz) 14:43.

Second period — 3. Wenatchee- Lant (McHugh, Pauly) 9:20.

Third period — 4. Alaska- Pavek (Hesse, Nelson) 13:36.

Overtime — no scoring.

Shootout — Pauly.

Shots on goal: Alaska 8-11-13-1-0—33, Wenatchee 6-7-8-1-1—23; Saves: Alaska- Engum 5-6-8-1-0—19, Wenatchee- Nichols 7-11-12-1-0—31; Power plays: Alaska 0 for 3, Wenatchee 1 for 4.