Bad bounce, questionable call mar goalie's outstanding performance

March 11, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

WASILLA - Late it their loss to the Alexandria Blizzard Friday, the Alaska Avalanche thought they were looking at a tied hockey game.

The problem was, the referees on the ice thought differently.

With 2 minutes and 54 seconds remaining in regulation, officials disallowed an apparent Larry Kincaid goal, and the Blizzard snuck out of the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena with a 1-0 win over the Avalanche.

Late in the third period, Kincaid - set up by a stellar effort from linemate John Grossi - dove toward the Blizzard net, reached out and put a shot on goal. Alexandria goaltender Dustin Carlson went down to the ice to make the save, and when Carlson stood up the puck was across the red line.

Horns blared, sirens sounded and the Avalanche fans were at their feet.

But cheers quickly turned to boos, as the official rapidly waved his arms to disallow the goal.

&#8220It just didn't go our way,” Alaska coach and general manager Keith Morris said.

From his vantage point, Morris believed Kincaid's shot was in fact a goal, but knows the officials have the final call on the ice.

&#8220It was a great play, but that's part of the game,” Morris said.

Grossi set up the play, by taking the puck deep into the Alexandria zone. With a defenseman between he and the Blizzard net, and his back to the goal, Grossi skated a circle around the Alexandria blueliner and sent a pass to Kincaid, who was streaking down the ice.

Kincaid reached out, caught the puck to the blade of his stick and sent a quick to the net as he fell to the ice.

Alaska was shorthanded on the play, and for much of the final five minutes of the contest.

With 4:52 left, a scrum near the boards involving Alaska forward Paulos Shiferaw and Alexandria defenseman Joe Hartman ended with Shiferaw tagged with a five-minute major for head butting and a 10-minute misconduct for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Although the Avs skated shorthanded, Alaska had some of its better opportunities on the offensive end toward the end of the game.

&#8220We had our chances to tie it up,” Morris said.

Victor Nordenson, Richard Leitner and Josh Erhardt each had quality opportunities.

Alaska skated on the power play for the final 66 seconds of the game after Alexandria drew two penalties during a 30-second stretch.

The Avs recorded four of their 21 shots during the final 40 seconds of the game.

Defenseman Reed Rushing nearly tied the game for the Avs, but hit the crossbar on a shot from the point with 30 seconds to play.

Alaska goalie Adam Kraus had yet another standout performance in goal.

Kraus stopped 42 shots in the game, and many of those shots were quality scoring opportunities.

Kraus basically did it all. He survived odd-man rushes. He made several sweeping saves with his glove. He stop shots while laying on his chest and his back. He followed saves to his right with another to his left. He even looked Dominick Hasek-esque, and rolled to make tough saves.

&#8220He is as good as it gets,” Morris said. &#8220He could be the best goalie in our league, and one of the best in Junior A hockey. We just didn't give him any

help.”

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