Avs start season Wednesday

PALMER — The Alaska Avalanche have been on the ice for more than two weeks. The Avs have scrimmaged the Alaska All-Stars U-18 and a team made up of former college and professional players.

But on Wednesday, the Avs will officially drop the puck on the 2011-12 season. The Avs open their campaign Wednesday at 7:15 a.m. AST against the Amarillo Bulls during the first day of the North American Hockey League Showcase in Blaine, Minn.

Alaska, which finished third in the NAHL West Division with a franchise-record 31 wins last year, will see Amarillo, Bismarck, Jamestown and St. Louis during the four-day Showcase. The Avs have faced injury problems during preseason practice, but overall, new head coach Corey Millen and assistant Josh Petrich are feeling good about an Avalanche team that includes about 17 new faces.

“We’ve got some guys banged up,” Millen said before the team’s scrimmage at the Subway Center in Anchorage last Friday.

Some of the injuries are a product of what Millen called “intense practice.” While he doesn’t want to see his players go down, he was happy to see the Avs’ talent battle.

“There was a ton of battling,” Millen said. “I like that. I do appreciate that.”

Millen said the Avs may be without a few key players for at least some of the Showcase. He said the bigger loss could be the missed opportunities for the athletes who can’t play.

“It’s a real important step for these kids,” Millen said. “They all have high aspirations and they know the importance.”

The Showcase is an annual event created by the NAHL to display all of its talent in one venue. The four-day event is flooded with college coaches and scouts.

Wednesday’s contest is also the first of eight straight road games that start the Avs’ season. After the Showcase, Alaska will head to Wenatchee, Wash., to face the Wild Sept. 23-24. The Avs return to the 49th state to play Kenai River Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

The Avs make their 2011-12 home debut Oct. 14 against Fresno at the MTA Events Center in Palmer.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him at twitter.com/matsu_sports.