Avs win!

WASILLA — It's over. Alaska's losing streak is finally over.

With a 4-2 win over the Texas Tornado on Saturday at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena, the Alaska Avalanche earned their first victory since Jan. 4 and snapped their franchise-record 18-game losing skid.

Four players hailing from the 49th state, Kyle Pichler, Jeremiah Dargis, Jason Cohen and Tyler Currier, each scored for the Avs, and Alaska improved to 16-32-3 overall. With three points — Alaska also earned one point in an overtime loss on Thursday — in the last three days, the Avs have 35 points and are only seven points behind Texas, the team that currently holds the fourth and final playoff berth from the North American Hockey League's South Division.

Alaska netminder Dusan Sidor stopped 41 shots in the win, and all 17 Texas attempts he faced in the second period.

Alaska 4, Texas 2

Saturday, Menard Arena

Texas 0-2-2—2

Alaska 1-1-1—2

First period — 1. Alaska- Pichler (Currier) 14:48.

Second period — 2. Alaska- Dargis (Politz) 4:53.

Third period — 3. Texas- Goodwin (VanLare, Hoffmann) 8:11, 4. Alaska- Cohen (Rasmussen, Politz) pp 9:32, 5. Alaska- Currier (Young, Pichler) 10:30, 6. Texas- O’Conner (unassisted) 11:01.

Shots on goal: Texas 10-17-18—45, Alaska 14-12-10—36; Saves: Texas- Callaghan 13-11-8—36, Alaska- Sidor 10-17-16—41; Power plays: Texas 0-for-5, Alaska 1-for-6; Penalties: Texas 10-for-28, Alaska 7-for-22.