Avs beat Ice Dogs, snap losing streak

Dec. 24, 2006

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

FAIRBANKS - You could call Nathanial Pellegrino a hard-luck goaltender.

The Alaska Avalanche netminder has been credited with nine losses this season. And in those nine losses, Pellegrino had a total of 10 goals of offensive support, all while averaging a whopping 35.3 saves per game.

On Friday, Pellegrino had another stellar game in net. But this time, the Woodlyn, Penn., native got the offensive support.

Four different players scored and Pellegrino stopped 57 Fairbanks shots in a 5-2 win over the Ice Dogs at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks.

&#8220His win-loss record doesn't show how well he's played,” Alaska coach and general manager Keith Morris said of Pellegrino, who is now 3-9-2 with a .906 saves percentage after the win. &#8220But his saves percentage is good, and that's what we're looking for in a goaltender. We want goalies to stop the puck over 90 percent of the time.”

The win snaps a five game stretch where Pellegrino owned a 0-4-1 record. In four of those five games Pellegrino stopped 36 or more shots. He recorded more than 40 saves twice.

&#8220Unfortunately he hasn't gotten the breaks probably warranted to him,” Morris said. &#8220He's an outstanding young man, win or lose. He's got a great attitude and mentality for the position.”

His 57 saves mark a season high. He had 24 saves in the second period alone.

Pellegrino helped Alaska snapped its eight-game losing skid. The Avs had not won since beating Fairbanks 3-2 on Nov. 25.

&#8220The guys felt real positive about things,” Morris said about his team's overall outlook after the first win in nearly a month. &#8220We have been playing some good games, but we have not had the breaks.”

Alaska had a pair of shootout losses during that stretch, and were able to at least secure a point in those games.

&#8220We got to overtime a couple times, and those (shootout losses) are really ties,” Morris said.

On of those shootout losses came Thursday in a 3-2 contest against the Ice Dogs.

With three points in two nights, Alaska was able to stay close to fifth-place Wichita Falls in the South Division of the North American Hockey League. As of press time Saturday, Alaska and Wichita Falls each had 27 total points.

Pellegrino's 24 saves in the middle frame highlighted an intense second period. Both teams combined for 50 shots, Alaska scored two goals and four players were handed 10-minute game misconducts for fighting. All were indicative of an intrastate rivalry where emotions always run high.

&#8220It was a real emotional game, a real emotional period. We got up in the lead, and they tried to intimidate our team a little bit,” Morris said. &#8220The kids stood up to them.”

Richard Leitner posted two goals and two assists for the Avs, but Morris said Leitner's standout play was not held to just the offensive end of the ice.

&#8220Richie took a major step,” Morris said. &#8220He played very, very well at both ends of the rink.”

Leitner gave the Avalanche a 2-0 lead midway through the first period. Victor Nordenson logged one of his two assists on the play.

Nordenson helped Travis Stevens give Alaska the 1-0 lead just 1 minute and 32 seconds into regulation.

Jesse Bryant posted a shorthanded goal and an assist. Krystian Dziubinski also scored.

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