Avalanche not ready to mail in season

Feb. 16, 2007

By MATT TUNSETH/ Frontiersman

WASILLA - Although their team is in last place in the North American Hockey League's South Division, members of the Alaska Avalanche still have plenty to play for.

&#8220They're playing for their hockey futures,” Avalanche general manager and coach Keith Morris said Thursday.

The Avalanche have 17 games remaining in their season, including a homestand that begins today against in-state rivals Fairbanks.

Because team members are hoping to skate either with the Avalanche next year or make the leap to Division I college hockey, Morris said the final weeks of the season will be a crucial time for the team's players to show what they can do.

&#8220This is not going to be mailing in the rest of the season,” he said. &#8220We expect to come out and play 60 minutes hard and be competitive.”

Alaska's lineup will be slightly different against Fairbanks. The team recently completed a trade that sent forward Brad McCabe - the team's third-leading scorer - to the Texas Tornadoes for future considerations.

Morris said the McCabe trade came about as a result of both parties wanting to go in different directions.

&#8220Brad was very professional on his part,” Morris said.

With the open spot on the roster, Alaska took the opportunity to sign a player familiar to Valley hockey fans, former Houston High forward Sean Ranum.

&#8220He's a great kid, and works hard,” Morris said of Ranum, who has spent this season with the Twin Cities Northern Lights, a Junior B team in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League.

Signing Ranum, Morris said, is in keeping with the team's renewed focus on bringing in Alaska talent. Morris and his staff spent all of last weekend at the Alaska high school state tournament evaluating players with an eye on looking toward the future.

&#8220Our philosophy on the future is to give as many in-state kids the opportunity to play at the Junior A level,” Morris said. &#8220Our people have spent a lot of time evaluating the in-state talent.”

Morris said he was impressed with the level of play at the state tournament, and said he felt like having the event in Wasilla was a great benefit both to his team as well as the local hockey community.

&#8220I was very pleased with the way the tournament went down the stretch,” he said. &#8220It was a tremendous event for Mat-Su and for high school hockey in the state of Alaska.”

Tonight's game against Fairbanks begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Curtis Menard Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

The two teams will also face off at 7:30 on Saturday.

Morris said hockey fans hoping to see some good action won't be disappointed, as the Avalanche will do everything they can to slow down a high-powered Fairbanks offense that ranks third in the NAHL in goals scored.

&#8220It's going to be a great test for our organization,” he said.

Contact Matt Tunseth at

352-2265 or matt.tunseth@

frontiersman.com