Avs named top prospects

WASILLA — For most North American Hockey League players, the opportunity to play in the Junior A Tier II league means a chance to show their talents to college coaches and scouts.

Later this month, five members of the Alaska Avalanche will skate on the league’s center stage.

Berkley Scott, Zach Smith, Jake Williams, Jake Parenteau and Kale Robertson have been named to the West Division roster for the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament.

The group will compete in the three-day round-robin tournament Jan. 18-20 at the Ice Cube in Ann Arbor, Mich., in front of numerous college scouts.

Alaska assistant coach Brian Huebel was also man the West Division bench as an assistant.

Avalanche head coach Dave Boitz said the selections were part of a collective effort by coaches within the division. Alaska was awarded five spots on the 20-player roster due to its place in the West standings as of Dec. 20.

First-place Wenatchee was awarded a division-high seven spots.

Although Boitz said he felt a few of his veterans, such as third-year forward Kyle Pichler, should of received more attention, he’s happy that five of his players will have the chance to play in front of scouts from dozens of college programs.

“Some different guys got an opportunity,” Boitz said.

Three of the Avalanche selections are first-year NAHL players.

Scott gets the nod after posting 12 goals, 10 assists and a +7 rating during the first half of the season.

“He’s been really huge,” Boitz said. “He had an awfully good first half.”

Also bound for the tournament is first-year defenseman Jake Williams, who recorded three goals, 11 assists and a +11 rating during the first half. Boitz said Williams has played beyond the coaches’ expectations.

“We knew he was going to be good, but we’ve been pleasantly surprised,” Boitz said. “He was outstanding in the first half.”

Goaltender Kale Robertson was also named to the team in his first year in the NAHL. Robertson spent much of the first half as one of the top five goalies in the NAHL. He is currently 9-6-2, with a 2.63 goals against average and .913 saves percentage. Boitz said the hardest decision for the coaches selecting the team may have been choosing between Robertson and Alaska goalie Landon Peterson.

“It was a real toss-up,” Boitz said.

Peterson also spent much of the first half as a top-five goalie. He is 6-3-4, with a 2.56 GAA and .919 saves percentage.

Also headed to the tourney are second-year players Jake Parenteau and Zach Smith.

Parenteau, who leads all NAHL defenseman with nine goals, was expected to be a top player this season. And the Shafer, Minn., has been just that. In addition to his nine goals, he also has 14 assists and is among team leaders with a +9 rating.

Smith has also stood out for the Avs this season., He is currently second on the squad with 25 points, and leads the team with 14 goals.

Smith equaled his entire scoring total from all of last season during his first 28 games of the 2009-10 campaign.

“Fourteen goals at the break is awfully good,” Boitz said. “(Also) he’s been our inspirational type of leader.”

Boitz said the opportunity to skate with the Top Prospects could be one of the most notable moments of his career.

“He’ snot really ever had the chance to play in anything like that,” Boitz said.

NAHL Top Prospects

West Division roster

Forward — Doug Beck, Kenai; Michael DiPuma, Wenatchee; Brad Fusaro, Kenai; Christian Hilbrich, Wenatchee; Justin Krichevel, Fairbanks; Duncan McKellar, Wenatchee; Dajon Mingo, Wenatchee; Shawn Pauly, Wenatchee; Kyle Politz, Fairbanks; Berkley Scott, Alaska; Johan Skinners, Kenai; Zach Smith, Alaska.

Defense — Braden Fisher, Kenai; Jake Parenteau, Alaska; Josh Nelson, Fairbanks; Chris Rumble, Wenatchee; Jon Schreiner, Fairbanks; Jake Williams, Alaska.

Goalie — Brandon Jaeger, Wenatchee; Kale Robertson, Alaska.

Head coach — Paul Baxter, Wenatchee; Assistant — Dave Boitz, Alaska.

Wild sweep Avs

WENATCHEE, Wash. — Wenatchee skated to a 5-1 win over the Alaska Avalanche at the Toyota Town Center in Wenatchee, Wash., Sunday.

Five different players scored and the Wild peppered the Alaska goal with 44 shots en route to earning the win, and a two-game sweep of the Avs.

Wenatchee beat Wasilla 6-1 on Saturday.

Former Colony High School standout Blake Huppert scored the lone goal for the Avs.

Wenatchee 5, Alaska 1

Sunday, Wenatchee, Wash.

First period — 1. Wenatchee- McKellar (Mort, Flynn) 16:51.

Second period — 2. Wenatchee- Hillbrich (Brodie, Sliwinski) pp 2:06; 3. Wenatchee- McLean (Brossoit, Rumble) 7:36.

Third period — 4. Wenatchee- DiPuma (Mingo, Hughes) 3:25; 5. Alaska- Huppert (Smith) 5:42; 6. Wenatchee- Mingo (McKellar, DiPuma) 19:25.

Shots on goal: Alaska 9-7-17—33, Wenatchee 13-22-9—44; Saves: Alaska- Peterson 12-20-7—39, Wenatchee- Jensen 9-7-16—32; Power plays: Alaska 0-for-7, Wenatchee 1-for-4; Penalties: Alaska 8-for-25, Wenatchee 11-for-31.