Avs back on the ice against the Bears

WASILLA — With their next 10 games against either a first-year or second-year North American Hockey League franchise, the Alaska Avalanche could easily make a run in the NAHL West.

But as simple as that is to think about, Alaska head coach Dave Boitz stresses the Avs just need to focus on the next game that’s ahead.

“We’re taking it a game at a time,” Boitz said on Thursday.

Alaska begins the 10-game stretch with a two-game series against the Kenai River Brown Bears tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Soldotna Sports Center in Soldotna.

Alaska, 6-2-0 overall and in second place in the West, has played four straight against the Brown Bears. The Avs are 3-1-0 in their last four against their intrastate rivals, but only one of those games — Kenai’s 8-0 win over Alaska — has been decided by more than two goals.

“Kenai River’s a good hockey team,” Boitz said of the Bears, who are 5-7-1 overall. “We’re 3-1 against them, but we could easily be 0-4.”

Alaska split a two-game series in Soldotna, winning 3-1 before the 8-0 loss.

The following weekend Alaska scored a 4-3 shootout win and a 6-4 victory.

After finishing a quick road trip Saturday in Soldotna, the Avs will return to Wasilla and host the Brown Bears on Nov. 7-8.

The homestand continues with three games against expansion Wentachee Wild, Nov. 20-22.

But right now the focus is on the Brown Bears.

“The name Wentachee hasn’t even come up,” Boitz said. “That’s kind of our approach. We don’t want to take anything for granted.”

Alaska has spent much of the young season at the top of the West Division, but the Fairbanks Ice Dogs jumped the Avs on Wednesday with a 5-3 win over the Wichita Falls Wildcats at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in the Interior.

Fairbanks is 6-4-2 with 14 points — two points ahead of Alaska — but has played in four more games than the Avs.

Thankfully for Alaska, now in a battle with the rival Ice Dogs for the top spot, the Avs have finally erased some health concerns.

Dylan Jones, one of Alaska’s top forwards, and Beau Braun, a key man on the blue line, are both back in the lineup after missing time with injuries.

Following Alaska’s two-game sweep of Kenai River at the Menard Arena earlier this month, Boitz stressed the need for consistency on the defensive end.

But with Braun back and defenseman Shawn McNeely, who has had some lingering injuries, back at 100 percent, the Avs are expecting better play on the defensive end.

“Getting those two guys back on the right track will help tremendously,” Boitz said.

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