Avalanche win evens NAHL playoff series; Alaska will host Game 4 in Palmer April 13

WENATCHEE, Wash. — Regardless of what happens Saturday, there will be playoff hockey in the Mat-Su Valley next weekend.

Alaska scored a 2-1 overtime win over the Wenatchee Wild Friday at the Toyota Town Center in Wenatchee, Wash. The Alaska victory evened the North American Hockey League best-of-5 first-round playoff series at 1. The win also ensured there will be a fourth game, slated for April 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the MTA Events Center in Palmer.

The Avalanche franchise also erased a playoff drought with the win. It marked Alaska’s first postseason win since April 3, 2009, and snapped the organization’s 10-game postseason losing streak.

Alaska’s last playoff victory also came in extra time.

Defenseman Patrick Kinkopf scored just more than 90 seconds into the sudden-death tiebreaker Friday to lift the Avs. Forward Brandon Brossoit recorded the assist on the play. Both players are former members of the Wenatchee Wild. Kinkopf was acquired in a trade before the season. Brossoit was traded from Wenatchee to Alaska last year.

Blueliner Jeff Bergh also scored for Alaska.

The Avs outshot Wenatchee 14-4 in the third period and 32-17 in the game. Rookie goalie Bodie Engum stopped 16 saves to earn the win in the Avalanche net.

Game 3 of the series is slated for Saturday at 6:05 p.m. AST in Wenatchee.

Alaska 2, Wenatchee 1

NAHL first-round

Friday, Wenatchee

First period — no scoring.

Second period — 1. Wenatchee- Kerr (Tafoya) pp 7:17.

Third period — 2. Alaska- Bergh (Wright) 15:44.

Overtime — 3. Alaska- Kinkopf (Brossoit) 1:33.

Shots on goal: Alaska 8-9-14-1—32, Wenatchee 7-6-4-0—17; Saves: Alaska- Engum 7-5-4-0—16, Wenatchee- Lewis 8-8-13-0—30.