Avs return home to host Fresno

PALMER — The Alaska Avalanche are feeling the effects of seven games and more than two weeks on the road. And today, the Avs drop the puck on their first major homestand of the season.

“We’re a little banged up,” Alaska head coach Brian Huebel said of his team, which opens up a two-game series against the Fresno Monsters tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Palmer Ice Arena. “We’re two weeks away from an off week. We need to get through this and then get a few more guys healthy.”

Already without forward Grant Dye, who suffered a shattered knuckle during the first weekend of the season, Alaska was forced to play without veteran forwards Zach Smith and Blake Huppert during points of its three-game series in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada, last weekend.

Despite the injuries, Alaska was still able to win twice during the three-game set and improve to 4-5-0 in the North American Hockey League West Division.

“You’ve got to be happy when you can take two out of three anywhere on the road,” Huebel said.

Since returning home for the first time since early September, the Avs have been concentrating on a stretch that includes five games during the next eight days. Alaska hosts Fresno today and Saturday, and begins a three-game series with Dawson Creek Thursday at the Palmer Ice Arena.

Fresno is also entering a tough stretch as the Monsters tour Alaska. The California team will play six times during the next eight days, with stops in Palmer, Kenai and Fairbanks.

The Monsters are 2-1-1 overall, playing all of their games at the NAHL Showcase last month. The expansion team debuted with a 7-2 loss to Bismarck, the defending NAHL champions. Fresno scored a 4-3 win over Amarillo and a 4-2 victory over Springfield.

Forward John Slemer currently leads Fresno with three goals and three assists.

Forward Andy Pearson, who posted a point during each game at Dawson Creek, now leads the Avs with 3-5-8 totals. Smith (2-5-7) and Seth Johnson (4-3-7) each have seven points.

Alaska goalie Landon Peterson raised his saves percentage to .925 percent and lowered his goals against average to 2.51 with a 32-save shutout during a 2-0 win over Dawson Creek last Saturday.

“Landon played stellar again,” Huebel said. “He’s been a pretty good backbone for us.”

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