Avs enjoy a new rivalry

WASILLA — There was a time when it took the Alaska Avalanche nearly two seasons to piece together three wins against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs. But this year, it’s taken the Avs just seven days.

“It’s great. They’ve been a hard team for us to beat the last couple years. It’s nice to finally get some wins against them,” Alaska forward Kyle Pichler said after a 4-2 victory over the Dogs last Friday.

Alaska started the streak against its chief rival with a 4-3 victory on Oct. 31, and continued the success over the weekend with its first two-game sweep of the Ice Dogs in program history.

The wins are a sign of the overall improvement of the organization and Alaska’s efforts to solidfy itself as a top program in the North American Hockey League West Division.

But they’re also a reward for the veterans who have endured the historic struggles against Fairbanks.

“It’s a good feeling, especially for the guys like Pichler who have been there,” Alaska head coach Dave Boitz said.

Pichler, the only three-year player on the roster, was on a 2007-08 squad that finished 2-9-1 against the Ice Dogs. He’s one of 11 returners who were just 1-11-2 against Fairbanks last season.

“It’s a big deal to get some wins,” Pichler said. “It’s a huge rivalry.”

Prior to this season, the Wasilla-based franchise held just a 13-39-6 mark in 58 total games over four seasons. During the organizations for year in the Valley, the team formelly known as the Wasilla Spirit, had the most success against Fairanks, posting a 6-8-0 record.

The renamed Alaska Avalanche beat Fairbanks four times the following year, and the wins agianst the Dogs have steadily dropped. Until this season.

During Alaska’s 4-3 win on Halloween night, Boitz sensed a bit of nervous optimism ask the Avs skated with the lead. But after scoring their first win over Fairbanks since Jan. 21, there’s a newfound sense of confidence.

“It’s a huge confidence-booster,” Pichler said. “It lets us know if we come to play every night, we should have some success.

Alaska will have 10 more cracks at the Ice Dogs, beginning with a three-game series that starts Dec. 3 at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

And the Avalanche know they need to continue to have success against the Ice Dogs to acheive their bigger goals.

“The odds are pretty good, regardless of who finishes first, second, third or fourth, one way or another, we’re going to have to get through Fairbanks to get to Wenatchee for the national tournament,” Boitz said late last month.

Barber a beast

against Dogs

Through the first 16 games of the season, Jacob Barber saw limited action. He was scoreless with a -2 plus-minus rating in six games.

And then Boitz inserted the Dardenne Prairie, Mo., native into the lineup against the Ice Dogs on Oct. 30.

Barber scored his first career goal during a 5-4 shootout loss to Fairbanks. Boitz kept Barber in the lineup, and Barber continued to produce.

Barber has scored in four straight games against the Dogs. he posted a pair of second-period goals during a 4-3 win on Saturday. He’s also a +5 against Fairbanks.

To put the 17-year-old’s production into perspective, Boitz compard him to another budding star, Matthew Friese.

During his first season as a 16-year-old in the league last year, Friese recorded four goals and four assists in 34 games.

Friese has since comitted to play Division I hockey for the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Barber was listed as an honorable mention for the NAHL West Division Player of the Week.