Avs back after break

WASILLA — Tonight, the Alaska Avalanche will do something they haven’t done in nearly three weeks — drop the puck and face someone other than themselves.

After a 19-day break, the Avs host the Fairbanks Ice Dogs in a weekend series that starts tonight 7 p.m. at the Subway Centre in Anchorage. The two-game set ends Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

Alaska hasn’t played since scoring a 6-5 shootout win over the Kenai River Brown Bears on Nov. 25 at the Soldotna Sports Center. That victory ended arguably the best stretch in franchise history, a span in which the Avs were 10-3 in 13 games.

The Avs’ first 13 games of the season were basically an exact opposite of their next 13. Alaska was 2-9-1 before going on its 10-3-0 run.

On Thursday, Alaska head coach and general manager Jamie Smith said it was nice to have the time off after that stretch. Before Nov. 25, the Avs had not had more than six consecutive days off since mid-October.

“We played a ton of games,” Smith said. “We needed a little break.”

But now, the Avs are more than ready to get back on the ice.

While the Avs were taking their three-week rest, the Ice Dogs were busy shooting up the North American Hockey League South Division standings.

Fairbanks, now on a five-game winning streak, currently sits on top of the South Division with a 17-9-2 mark and 36 total points. The Dogs’ 36 points is third-best in the 18-team league.

Alaska (13-12-1) is in fourth place with 27 points.

The Ice Dogs started their streak with a 2-0 win over Texas and followed with a four-game sweep of the Brown Bears. During the series against the first-year Kenai River club, the Fairbanks outscored the Brown Bears 20-3. Three of those Fairbanks wins came via the shutout.

Alaska and Fairbanks have faced-off just twice this season. The intrastate rivals split a two-game series in early November.

Fairbanks skated to a 4-2 win over Alaska on Nov. 2, and the Avs grabbed a 3-2 overtime victory the following night.

Forward Andrew McCabe currently leads the Ice Dogs with 21 points (6 goals, 15 assists). Eric Kraft (8-11-19) and Aaron Stonacek (9-8-17) are also among team leaders.

Fairbanks defensman Arthur Bidwill was named the division player of the week after recording three goals, two assists and a +4 rating in the four-game sweep of Kenai River.

Avs tender two

The Alaska Avalanche have tendered a pair of prospects for the 2008-09 season.

Earlier this week, Alaska tendered offers to a pair of forwards currently skating for the Chicago Fury AAA major midget program of the Midwest Elite Hockey League.

Alaska now owns the NAHL rights to Ryan Bachman and David Lebarre.

Smith admitted he was a little surprised to learn that the pair of highly-regarded products from Illinois were opting to come to the Mat-Su Valley in Alaska, rather than stay to play their junior hockey in the Midwest. And now he’s thrilled at the potential of having them in his lineup.

“We jumped on them early,” Smith said.

Bachman is a 6-foot, 170-pound forward from Orland Park, Ill. In a press release issued by the Fury, Bachman is tabbed as a, “solid two-way centerman who plays in all situations.”

Lebarre is a 5-8, 145-pound forward from Palos HIlls, Ill., and is described in the release as, “a skilled kid who can create and make plays with the

puck.”

Smith said he had the chance to see both players during the Showcase Tournament in Blaine, Minn., earlier this season, and has since kept in contact with Fury head coach Nick Pollos.

Smith described Bachman as a highly-skilled player, and said Labarre has a ton of upside.

Bachman currently has 10 goals and 15 assists in 55 games, while Labarre has six goals and 12 assists in 32 games.

Bachman and Labarre represent Alaska’s first two tenders for the 2008-09 season. Alaska currently has the right to tender offers to 12 players for next season.

Avs make roster moves

The Alaska Avalanche made a pair of roster moves during the 19-day break.

On Nov. 28, Alaska traded defensman John Strahle and Vince Stratte to NAHL foe Alexandria for future considerations, Smith said.

Both blueliners played sparingly during their short tenures with the club. Stratte recorded and assist in six games, while Strahle was scoreless in five outings.

Smith said he traded both players to give the athletes the opportunity to find more playing time elsewhere.

Alaska has also released forward J.J. Waldrop.

In 11 games the Anchorage native recorded on goal and one assist.

Following his release, Waldrop was signed by Fairbanks and is expected to be in the lineup against the Avs this weekend.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.