Avs ready for Showcase

PALMER — Brian Huebel hopes the Alaska Avalanche got their lackluster performance out of the way.

After skating to a convincing 5-2 win over the Kenai River Brown Bears on Friday, the Avs suffered a dismal 3-0 defeat to the Brownies the following night.

“I don’t think we were mentally prepared to play a hockey game, and that’s something we discussed after the game,” Huebel, Alaska’s first-year head coach, said. “I’d prefer it not ever to happen. Obviously, it’s going to happen. They’re young men still developing. It came at the second game of the year. Hopefully they learned their lesson.”

Now, the Avs will try to get back on the right track as they prepare for the NAHL Showcase, which starts Wednesday in Blaine, Minn. Alaska will play four teams — Aberdeen, Janesville, Topeka and Traverse City — during the four-day event designed to showcase the league’s talent in front of numerous college and professional scouts.

“This is the opportunity to play in front of the schools and pro scouts to showcase what they can do,” Huebel said.

The Avs open tourney play Wednesday at 7 a.m. AST against the Aberdeen Wings, an NAHL expansion team based in Aberdeen, S.D. Alaska faces Janesville (Wisc.), Topeka (Kan.) and Traverse City (Mich.) during the final three days of the event.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.