Avs get another win against league’s top team

TOPEKA, Kan. — For the second time in less than a week, the Alaska Avalanche have knocked off the top team in the North American Hockey League.

Alaska scored a 4-3 shootout win over the league-leading Topeka RoadRunners Saturday the Kansas ExpoCentre in Topeka, Kan.

Forward Nardo Nagtzaam was the last of four Alaska shooters to put a puck past Topeka netminder Bryce Merriam during the shootout round.

Jake Parenteu, Robb Haider and Zach Smith also found the back of the net during the tiebreaker.

Alaska erased an early two-goal deficit and Avs netminder Nate Pellegrino stopped 45 Topeka shots during the win.

Jason Cohen, Adam Friese and Tyler Currier scored for the Avalanche, who also beat Topeka last Wednesday.

After Topeka grabbed the 2-0 lead with a pair of first-period goals, Cohen scored on the power play 59 seconds into the second to cut Topeka’s lead to 2-1.

Friese knocked a puck into the net midway through the second to tie the score, and Alaska took its first lead of the game when Currier scored 4:10 into the third.

Bryan Paulazzo forced overtime with a power play goal in the third.

The win capped Alaska’s six-game road trip. Alaska finished 3-3-0 on the trip thanks to the two wins over a Topeka club that leads the NAHL with 39 wins and 83 points.

Alaska improved to 21-25-2 win the win, and now returns home for a busy week at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena.

The Avs host Wenatchee on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Fairbanks on Friday and Saturday.

Alaska 4, Topeka 3 SO

Saturday, Kansas ExpoCentre

First period — 1. Topeka- Lewis (Inderieden, Artman) pp 5:26, 2. Topeka- Stevens (Hartmann) 11:50.

Second period — 3. Alaska- Cohen (McNeely, Currier) pp 0:59, 4. Alaska- Friese (Parenteu) 12:56.

Third period — 5. Alaska- Currier (Parenteu, Rounds) 4:10, 6. Topeka- Paulazzo (Poe) pp 11:52.

Overtime — no scoring.

Shootout — Alaska- Nagtzaam.

Shots on goal: Alaska 4-5-6-3-1—19, Topeka 15-15-18-0-0—48; Saves: Alaska- Pellegrino 13-15-17-0—45, Topeka- Merriam 4-3-5-3—15; Power plays: Alaska 1-for-5, Topeka 2-for-9.

Topeka 4, Alaska 1

Friday; Kansas ExpoCentre

First period — 1. Topeka- Paulazzo (George, Inderieden) pp 3:31.

Second period — 2. Alaska- Erlacher (Currier) pp 4:00, 3. Topeka- George (Inderieden, Shafer) p 15:55.

Third period — Topeka- Inderieden (Paulazzo, George) pp 2:38.

Shots on goal: Alaska 10-8-6—24, Topeka 9-13-9—31; Saves: Alaska- Woodring 8-11-8—27, Topeka- Merriam 10-7-6—23; Power plays: Alaska 1-for-7, Topeka 3-for-7; Penalties: Alaska 19-for-85, Topeka 19-for-95.