Avs break franchise record with win over Ice Dogs

FAIRBANKS — The Alaska Avalanche have made franchise history.

Alaska used a 3-2 shootout win over rival Fairbanks at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in the Interior Friday night to set the franchise victory for wins in a season. The victory marked Alaska’s 33rd this year, one better than the Avs’ totaling in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.

While the achievement is notable, Alaska assistant coach Josh Petrich said the Avs continue to focus on their primary goal — a deep run in the North American Hockey League playoffs.

“It’s nice to be a part of, but we still know where we need to be,” Petrich said by cellphone from Fairbanks. “Obviously, it’s something that needed to be done to have a chance to go to the Robertson Cup. I bet the boys will back on it in the long run and see it as something special we were a part of. Something more special would be going to the Robertson Cup and doing some damage.”

Tanner Fahlstadt and Brandon Brossoit each notched first-period goals and Brossoit and Patrick Kinkopf found the back of the net in the shootout to help Alaska secure its record win.

Alaska needed only 32 seconds to take the lead. Just after the opening draw, Fahlstadt ripped a shot into the upper corner of the net to give the Avs the 1-0 lead.

“We jumped on (Fairbanks goalie Steve Perry) really quickly. We got it going early,” Petrich said.

Five minutes into the game, Brossoit batted a puck into the net to give Alaska the 2-0 lead.

Fairbanks was able to use a pair of bounces to bounce back into the game. Doug Rose scored midway through the first to cut Alaska’s lead in half. Early in the fourth, Jeff Earnest redirected a Rose shot into the back of the Avs net to tie the score at 2.

After a scoreless overtime, Alaska’s final two shooters beat Perry to give Alaska the win.

Overall, Petrich said the play of the defense was much better.

“We played a lot better team defense,” Petrich said.

Fairbanks outshot Alaska 24-22.

Alaska, sitting in third place of the NAHL West, continues to try to jump Wenatchee and land in second place of the division. The top two teams in the West will host a first-round playoff series. Alaska will have four chances to grab points in the standings this week. The Avs host Dawson Creek on Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m., and Kenai River Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Alaska 3, Fairbanks 2 SO

Friday, Big Dipper Ice Arena

First period — 1. Alaska- Fahlstadt (Hansen, Darge) 0:32; 2. Alaska- Brossoit (Smith-Mass, Hesse) 5:19; 3. Fairbanks- Rose (Hajdukovich) 7:47.

Second period — no scoring.

Third period — 4. Fairbanks- Earnest (Rose, O’Rourke) 5:40.

Overtime — no scoring.

Shootout — Kinkopf

Shots: Alaska 4-8-6-3-1—22, Fairbanks 8-6-0-1-0—24; Saves: Alaska- Kulmanovsky 7-6-8-1-0—22, Fairbanks- Perry 2-8-6-3-0—19; Power plays: Alaska 0 for 2, Fairbanks 0 for 2.