Avs explode for 6 in win at Wichita Falls

WICHITA FALLS, Texas — The Alaska Avalanche scored six unanswered goals to claim a 6-4 win over the Wichita Falls Wildcats at Kay Yeager Coliseum in Wichita Falls, Texas, on Friday.

Forward Zach Smith led the comeback, posted a pair of scores in the second period.

Daniel Hildebrandt and Kyle Pichler scored to tie the game at 4-4 in the third, and Robb Haider scored late in regulation to give the Avs the 5-4 lead.

Forward Tyler Currier iced the win with an empty-netter during the final seconds of action.

Currier also collected four assists in the win.

After allowing three goals during the first period, Alaska goalie Nate Pellegrino made room for reserve Dylan Woodring in the Avalanche net.

Woodring stopped 13 of the 14 Wildcats shots he saw to earn the win in relief.

Wichita Falls jumped out to another four-goal lead on Saturday, but held onto it to earn the 4-2 win.

The Wildcats scored three times on the power play within a two-minute span, and led 4-0 by the 13-minute mark of the first.

Jason Cohen and Nardo Nagtzaam scored third-period power-play goals for the Avs.

Woodring earned the start and allow four first-period goals. Pellegrino stood in net for the final two periods and stopped all 20 of the shots he faced.

The teams meet again at the Kay Yeager Coliseum on Tuesday.

Alaska 6, Wichita Falls 4

Friday; Wichita Falls, Texas

First period — 1. Wichita Falls- McNeil (Brown) 3:04, 2. Wichita Falls- Kuhn (McKenzie, Shost) sh 11:18, 3. Wichita Falls- Coffey (Amin, Hudson) pp 14:52.

Second period — 4. Wichita Falls- Kenline (Shost, Karlsson) 8:59, 5. Alaska- Smith (Rounds, Currier) 11:30, 6. Alaska- Smith (Currier, Hildebrandt) 19:30.

Third period — 7. Alaska- Hildebrandt (Currier) 1:53, 8. Alaska- Pichler (Currier) pp 13:28, 9. Alaska- Haider (Belisle, Pichler) 14:06, 10. Alaska- Currier en 19:49.

Shots on goal: Alaska 9-6-10—25, Wichita Falls 13-7-7—27; Saves: Alaska- Pellegrino 10-x-x—10, Woodring x-6-7—13, Wichita Falls Power plays: Alaska 1-for-12, Wichita Falls 1-for-4.

Wichita Falls 4, Alaska 2

Saturday; Wichita Falls, Texas

First period — 1. Wichita Falls- Kaneshiro (Brown, McNeil) pp 8:34, 2. Wichita Falls- Kuhn (Rourke, McKenzie) pp 9:24, 4. Wichita Falls- Kuhn (Kaneshiro) 12:35.

Second period — no scoring.

Third period — 5. Alaska- Cohen (McNeely, Belisle) pp 14:07, 6. Alaska- Nagtzaam (Parenteu, Smith) 15:14.