Avalanche win fifth straight

WASILLA — The Alaska Avalanche have become accustomed to digging themselves out of a hole.

Entering Saturday’s contest, the Avs were winners of their last four. But in each of those victories, Alaska relied on the late rally to score the win.

That wasn’t the case on Saturday.

Sparked by two goals during a stretch of 1 minute and 19 seconds in the first period, the Avalanche stormed out to the early advantage and held on for a 3-1 win over the Wichita Falls Wildcats at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena.

Blueliners Sean McNeely and Daniel Hildebrandt posted first period goals which helped Alaska ( 16-18-1 ) extend its winning streak to five.

“We’ve been really stressing coming out in the first period and going strong,” McNeely said. “So it’s good to come out like that tonight. It was a great team effort. We battled through.”

Alaska had been starting slow and finishing strong. The Avs used four third-period goals on Friday to post the 5-3 win over Wichita. In a two-game sweep of Kenai River last week, Alaska had to erase a three-goal deficit during the first game of the series and a two-goal disadvantage the next night.

“We’ve really played some great third periods and some bad first periods the last couple weeks,” Alaska head coach Dave Boitz said.

McNeely cashed in on an early 5-on-3 opportunity to put Alaska on the scoreboard. A battle near the boards — Alaska forwards Tyler Currier and Logan Rounds beat a pair of Wildcats for the puck — set up the play. Currier sent a quick pass back, leaving just one Wichita Falls player between McNeely and Jason Cohen and the Alaska net. Cohen and McNeely traded passes before McNeely beat the stick side of Wichita Falls goalie Phillip Gravelin.

Alaska beat Graveline stick side again just 79 seconds later when Hildebrandt took a pass from forward Cory Belisle and whipped the puck into the net. Belisle sent a pass across the ice to split the Wichita Falls zone.

Pellegrino, who stopped 36 shots in the win, preserved the lead in the second period, with a number of key saves. The Pellegrino-led defense killed three Wichita Falls power plays and stuffed a handful of Wildcat rushes.

Late in the period, Wichita Falls failed to convert a few quality chances. With less than three minutes to go in the period, Wildcat forward Ryan Amin broke away from the Avalanche defense and put a sharp shot on goal, but Pellegrino knocked the attempt wide. Later in the period, Anthony Iaquinto worked the puck in, trying to go five-hole, but the Alaska netminder stoned the chance. Sean McKenzie followed with a hard shot on the rebound, but Pellegrino came through with consecutive saves.

It was Pellegrino’s second win of the weekend. On Friday, he led Alaska to a 5-3 win over Wichita Falls at the Subway Sports Center in Anchorage. Not only did Pellegrino stop 31 shots in the win, he also contributed on the offensive end with a pair of assists. Pellegrino became the first goalie in franchise history to collect two assists in a game, and holds the team mark for career assists by a goaltender with three.

The wins boosted Pellegrino’s record to 5-6-0 in 11 starts with the Avalanche. Boitz said the Avs will look to Pellegrino to keep up the consistent play between the pipes.

“If he can stay playing the way he’s playing, we have a chance,” Boitz said.

Robb Haider added an insurance score for the Avs in the third period. It was the first-year forward’s fourth goal in as many games. Linemate Justin Giles set up the play, making a nifty move past a falling Wichita Falls defenseman before sending a quick pass across the zone to Haider, who was alone to put the shot on net.

Alaska continues play against Wichita Falls on Tuesday at the Menard Arena.

The Avalanche remain three points shy of second-place Wenatchee in the NAHL West Division standings. Wenatchee used a 3-2 win over division-leading Fairbanks on Saturdayto improve to 17-15-2.

Alaska 3, Wichita Falls 1

Saturday, Menard Arena

First period — 1. Alaska- McNeely (Cohen, Currier) pp 12:10, 2. Alaska- Hildebrandt (Belisle, Maly) 13:29.

Third period — 3. Wichita Falls- McKenzie (Amin, Quick) 2:56, 4. Alaska- Haider (Giles) 4:49.

Shots on goal: Wichita Falls 10-14-13—37, Alaska 12-5-10—27; Saves: Wichita Falls- Graveline 10-5-9—24, Alaska- Pellegrino 10-14-12—36.

Alaska 5, Wichita Falls 3

Friday; Subway Sports Center, Anchorage

First period — no scoring.

Second period — 1. Alaska- Giles (McNeely, Rounds) pp 15:03.

Third period — 2. Wichita Falls- Hudson (Kuhn, Hartung) 0:59, 3. Wichita Falls- Nash (Rourke, Heinz) 1:37; 4. Alaska- Haider (Cohen, Pellegrino) pp 4:10, 5. Alaska- Belisle (Nagtzaam, Erlacher) 8:14, 6. Alaska- Erlacher (Nagtzaam, Belisle) 8:42, 19:51.

Shots on goal: Wichita Falls 12-10-12—34, Alaska 12-13-10—35; Saves: Wichita Falls- Jarobe 12-12-6—30, Alaska- Pellegrino- 12-10-9—31; Power plays: Wichita Falls 0-for-6, Alaska 3-for-7; Penalties: Wichita Falls 7-for-14, Alaska 6-for-12.