Avs head north for key series at Fairbanks

PALMER — Heading into December, the Alaska Avalanche knew they’d skate through a key stretch during the first 10 days in the month.

The Avs entered the month in first place of the North American Hockey League West Division and had five games during the first 10 days of December. But after that, the Avs are off for 20.

“These next five games are going to be huge for us,” Alaska assistant coach Josh Petrich said recently. “We want to go into the break in first place and make everyone else want to catch us.”

Alaska took the first step toward that goal, sweeping a two-game set against Kenai River at the MTA Events Center in Palmer last weekend. But there are three big ones left, on the road against arch rival Fairbanks.

Alaska starts a key three-game series at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks Thursday at 7 p.m.

First-place Alaska will skate into the series, which continues through Saturday, with a West-best 20-9-1 mark and 41 points in the division standings. The Avs, who have the third-most points in the standings in all of the NAHL, hold a seven-point advantage over second-place Fairbanks (14-5-6, 34). Kenai River (16-9-1, 33), after a pair of 5-4 losses to Alaska, remains in third. Wenatchee (12-7-4, 28) is in fourth, a point ahead of fourth-place Fresno (10-8-7, 27).

Dawson Creek (7-20-2, 16) sits in the West cellar.

Alaska earned a pair of wild wins over the Brown Bears last weekend. On Friday, Alaska scored four unanswered goals and erased a three-goal deficit twice en route to the 5-4 win.

Forward Evan Hesse, skating in only his third game of the year, led the Avs with a goal and two assists. Captain Joe Schmitz collected a pair of assists.

The following night, Kenai River erased an early Alaska three-goal lead, but Gage Christianson scored in the third period to give Alaska the 5-4 win.

Brandon Brossoit (1-2-3) led the Avs with three points.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.