Avs look to end 9-game skid against Ice Dogs

WASILLA — The Alaska Avalanche would love to end the 2008 portion of their season on a high note. Standing in the way of the Avalanche and a happy holiday is first-place in-state rival Fairbanks.

The Avalanche host the Ice Dogs this weekend in their last series of 2008.

The Avs and Ice Dogs faced each other two weeks ago in Fairbanks, but a lot has changed since then. Going into that series, the Avs were sitting in third place, just a point out of second in the North American Hockey League’s West Division.

Since that series sweep by the Ice Dogs, the Avalanche, in the midst of a nine-game losing streak, have nose-dived into last place.

Meanwhile, Fairbanks is sitting comfortably in the driver’s seat of the division, holding a 17-point lead on second place Wenatchee.

Avs coach Dave Boitz said that during the losing steak his team’s confidence has waned, but a win against rival Fairbanks would be huge.

“Right now were trying to keep these guys up,” Boitz said. “If we can get a big win this weekend it can change things around in a hurry.”

Boitz said that during the series in Fairbanks the Avs out-shot the Ice Dogs in five of the six periods, but in order to come away this weekend with a win the local team needs to tighten up in its own zone.

“We have to be solid defensively,” Boitz said. “Our goaltending has to be good and we can’t be giving up odd man rushes.”

Boitz said that if the defense solidifies, his team will be in good shape, as putting pucks in the net hasn’t been a huge problem over the streak.

“We hit a rough stretch where we were out-shooting teams but still losing 6-5, 5-4,” he said.

Boitz said that his team’s focus is strong going into this weekend, though, whereas Fairbanks might be looking beyond the series.

“A lot of their guys are from out of state, so they may be looking forward to going home,” he said. “Most of our guys are from here.”

As for turning the Avs season around and ending the losing streak, Boitz is optimistic.

“We’re a good team, just very young,” he said. “It’s a long season, there’s definitely peaks and valleys. These kids really want to win. If we can win a couple games this weekend we can start the new year off on a positive note.”

The Avalanche and the Ice Dogs face off against each other tonight and Saturday at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla, with the puck dropping at 7 p.m.

Contact Tyson Alger at sports@frontiersman.com or 352-2273.