Avs captain sparks comeback

FAIRBANKS — Heading into play Thursday night, the Fairbanks Ice Dogs were 35-0-1 when leading after two periods. But on Thursday, the Ice Dogs couldn’t hold a lead in the final period.

Alaska scored four times in the third to post the 6-4 come-from-behind victory over the Ice Dogs at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks.

“We won another third period. That’s been kind of a trend for us,” Alaska head coach Brian Huebel said by cell phone from Fairbanks after the win.

Zach Smith netted the hat trick, scoring his final two goals during a 19-second span midway through the third. Smith posted the game-winner and an insurance score to help the Avs improve to 31-21-4 and take the first contest of the three-game series.

Huebel said it was nice to see Smith, Alaska’s captain, step up and notch three goals as the Avs aim to build momentum heading into the postseason.

“He sets the tone,” Huebel said. “When he’s doing it, people tend to follow.”

The Anchorage native tallied his first score late in the second, a goal that cut Fairbanks’ lead to 3-2. In the third, Smith needed less than 20 seconds to strike twice.

With the score tied at 4, Smith knocked in the rebound of an Andy Pearson shot to give Alaska the 5-4 lead. After the ensuing faceoff, Smith and Pearson skated on a 2-on-1 rush capped by a Smith score.

Pearson, Eliot Grauer and Grant Dye also scored for the Avs in the win.

Fairbanks held leads in each of the first two periods. Gabe Levin scored on the power play to give the Ice Dogs the 1-0 lead late in the first. After Grauer answered for the Avs, JT Osborn and Charlie Thauwald posted goals for Fairbanks during a four-minute span in the second.

“We didn’t quit,” Huebel said. “We stuck with the game plan. We need to make sure we keep doing that.”

Fairbanks enjoyed much of its success on the power play, scoring with the advantage in each of the three periods.

“Fairbanks had a really nice power play, and we really didn’t adjust until the third,” Huebel said. “They were really sharp on the power play, but in the third we were able to step up.”

Fairbanks outshot Alaska 35-28 in the game. Alaska goalie Landon Peterson made 31 saves in the win.

“Landon stepped up in the third big time,” Huebel said.

The series continues tonight and Saturday at the Big Dipper.

Alaska 6, Fairbanks 4

Thursday, Big Dipper Ice Arena

First period — 1. Fairbanks- Levin (Linnell, Munson) pp 14:40.

Second period — 2. Alaska- Grauer (Hesse, Van Allen) 1:30; 3. Fairbanks- Osborn (Carlston) 8:00; 4. Fairbanks- Thauwald (Linnell, Vierling) pp 11:53; 5. Alaska- Smith (Grauer, Hesse) 15:07.

Third period — 6. Alaska- Dye (Brossoit, Williams) pp 2:13; 7. Fairbanks- Stampohar (Linnell, Levin) pp 5:34; 8. Alaska- Pearson (Friese, Huppert) 11:19; 9. Alaska- Smith (Pearson) 13:56; 10. Alaska- Smith (Pearson, Williams) 14:15.

Shots on goal: Alaska 12-9-7—28, Fairbanks 11-15-9—35; Saves: Alaska- Peterson 10-13-8—31, Fairbanks- Phillippi 12-7-3—22; Power plays: Alaska 1-for-6, Fairbanks 3-for-7.