Avs can’t make up ground in league standings

DAWSON CREEK, BC — With the first-place Fairbanks Ice Dogs idle this weekend, the second-place Alaska Avalanche had plans to cut into the Ice Dog lead.

Apparently, Alaska’s opponent, the Dawson Creek Rage, didn’t get the memo.

Dawson Creek posted its second straight win over the Avs, a 6-3 victory at the Encana Events Center in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada, on Friday.

The Rage edged Alaska 3-2 in a shootout on Thursday. The teams cap the three-game weekend series today at 1 p.m. AST in Dawson Creek.

Dawson Creek used four second-period goals to build a 5-0 lead. Alaska didn’t get on the scoreboard until the 20th minute of the middle frame, when forward Derek Whitehill managed to slip a puck into the net before the final horn sounded.

Veterans Zach Smith and Andy Pearson each scored during a three-minute stretch in the third, and Dawson sealed the game with a late empty-netter.

Alaska outshot Dawson 38-34 in the game, and 16-7 in the third, but Dawson goalie Edward Dyson came up with 35 saves in the victory.

Dawson Creek 6, Alaska 3

Friday, Dawson Creek

First period — 1. Dawson- Ashdown (Mason) 15:23.

Second period — 2. Dawson- McCallum (Ripley, Hartley) 6:53; 3. Dawson- Matthews (Fellnemayr, Smith) pp 8:07; 4. Dawson- Turnbull (unassisted) 15:57; 5. Dawson- Matthews (Fellnemayr, Wark) pp 19:18; 6. Alaska- Whitehill (Schmitz, Darge) 20:00.

Third period — 7. Alaska- Smith (Darge, Whitehill) 5:02; 8. Alaska- Pearson (Barber, Brossoit) 8:45; 9. Dawson- Mason (McCallum) en 19:01.

Shots on goal: Alaska 10-12-16—38, Dawson 14-13-7—34; Saves: Alaska Peterson 13-9-x—22, Mendenhall x-x-6—6, Dawson- Dyson 10-11-14—38; Power plays: Alaska 0-for-7, Dawson 2-for-5; Penalties: Alaska 8-for-19, Dawson 11-for-25.