Avs end road trip with losses at Topeka

TOPEKA, KAN. — The Alaska Avalanche ended their grueling 11-game road trip with an 8-2 loss to the Topeka RoadRunners at the Kansas ExpoCentre in Topeka, Kan., on Wednesday.

Topeka scored seven unanswered goals to hand Alaska it’s 10th consecutive loss.

Alaska led 2-1 early in the second before the RoadRunners started their scoring binge.

Avalanche defenseman Teddy Zierden recorded an unassisted tally late in the first to tie the score at 1-1. Forward Kyle Pichler gave the Avs the 2-1 lead with a goal 1 minute and 11 seconds into the second period.

Nathan Corey recorded 30 saves for the Avs in the loss.

Alaska opened the two-game series against its division rivals with a 9-2 loss on Tuesday.

The RoadRunners built a 7-0 lead before the Avs were able to slip a puck past Topeka goaltender Bryce Merriem.

Alex Young and Jeremiah Dargis scored for the Avs.

Dusan Sidor started in net for the Avs, and stopped 34 of the 43 shots he faced. Corey played the final six minutes of the game, recording two saves.

After spending nearly the entire month of January on the road, the Avs can finally return home.

Alaska started it’s 11-game, 26-day road trip with a 5-1 win over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs in the Interior on Jan. 4, but have lost 10 straight since.

The Avs were swept in a pair of two-game series against the Wichita Falls Wildcats in Wichita Falls, Texas., were beaten by the Texas Tornado three times in Frisco, Texas., and suffered the two losses in Topeka.

Alaska returns to the rink on Feb. 13 to host Topeka at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

— Jeremiah Bartz

Topeka 8, Alaska 2

Wednesday, Kansas ExpoCentre

Alaska 1-1-0—2

Topeka 1-2-5—8

First period — 1. Topeka- Hartmann (unassisted) sh 4:03, 2. Alaska- Zierden (unassisted) 17:07.

Second period — 3. Alaska- Pichler (Young) 1:11, 4. Topeka- George (unassisted) 15:57, 5. Topeka- Seckel (Kamrass, McGrath) 16:58.

Third period — 6. Topeka- Brown (Seckel) pp 0:50, 7. Topeka- Paulazzo (Artman, Wolfgram) 2:37, 8. Topeka- Hill (Gens, George) 12:39, 9. Topeka- Hayes (Smith) pp 17:22, 10. Topeka- McGrath (Hayes, Paulazzo) 19:45.

Shots on goal: Alaska 5-3-9—17, Topeka 8-11-19—38; Saves: Alaska- Corey 7-9-14—30, Topeka- Rocker 4-2-9—17; Power plays: Alaska 0-for-7, Topeka 3-for-9; Penalties: Alaska 12-for-30, Topeka 10-for-26.

Topeka 9, Alaska 2

Tuesday, Kansas ExpoCentre

Alaska 0-0-2—2

Topeka 0-4-5—9

First period — no scoring.

Second period — 1. Topeka- Brown (Hill) 9:25, 2. Topeka- Brown (Hill) 9:25, 3. Topeka- Wolfgram (Artman, Kamrass) 14:46, 4. Topeka- Sundstedt (Gens, Swank) pp 15:38.

Third period — 5. Topeka- Kamrass (Jendras, Gens) 2:56, 6. Topeka- Smith (Gens, Swank) 6:14, 7. Alaska- Young (Pichler, Jones) pp 8:12, 8. Topeka- Sundstedt (Hayes, Paulazzo) 10:49, 9. Alaska- Dargis (Politz) 10:56, 10. Brown (Smith, Hill) 6-on-5 11:56, 11. Topeka- Sundstedt (Hayes, Artman) 13:34.

Shots on goal: Alaska 3-6-14—23, Topeka 13-22-10—45; Power plays: Alaska 1-for-5, Topeka 1-for-7; Saves: Alaska- Sidor 13-18-3—34, Corey x-x-2; Topeka- Merriem 3-6-12—23 Penalties: Alaska 8-for-16, Topeka 9-for-26.