Best in the West

PALMER — Throughout the first half of the North American Hockey League season, Alaska Avalanche head coach Brian Huebel has consistently preached the parity of the NAHL West.

Huebel has stressed the importance of every game in a division that has featured all six teams separated by single-digit points in the standings. He’s consistently said that each West team can beat any division foe on any night.

Well, Huebel’s right.

Once the dust settled after another crazy weekend in the NAHL West, four teams found themselves locked in a tie for first place.

“If anyone didn’t believe me before, it’s obviously come to fruition now,” Huebel joked Monday morning.

Alaska, Fairbanks, Wenatchee and Kenai River all have 28 points in the standings as the Avs prepare for a three-game series against the Fresno Monsters, a set that starts Wednesday in Fresno, Calif. And to make things even more interesting, the six teams in the division are separated by only six points in the standings.

“I must sound like a broken record, but I don’t know what else you can say, every game is big,” Huebel said. “It’s going to be like this all year.”

Fresno sits just five points out of first heading into the Alaska series and last-place Dawson Creek is only six points shy.

Huebel said he knew the division would be close, but never expected it to be this tight nearly halfway into the regular season.

“Four teams tied for first, maybe you see that in a sport after the first week, but not this deep into the season,” Huebel said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Alaska, 25 games into its 58-game schedule, currently has a 14-11-0 mark. Fairbanks (23 games) is 13-8-2. Wenatchee (24 games) currently sits at 13-9-2.

Kenai River (25 games) at 13-10-2, is also in first, and in new territory. The Brown Bears have never been in first place this deep into the season.

Alaska skated into first place with a 5-2-0 record in its last seven games. The Avs split a two-game set with Fairbanks last weekend and scored a key two-game sweep of the Wenatchee Wild last week.

With its 5-1 win over Fairbanks last Friday, Alaska actually sat alone in first place for about a day. The following night, Fairbanks beat the Avs 5-3 to move back into the first-place tie.

Kenai scored a big four points in the standings with back-to-back wins over Wenatchee last weekend. The Bears won in overtime and in a shootout to jump from 24 to 28 points in the standings. By losing in extra time each night, the Wild also scored a combined two points in the standings to go from 26 to 28.

Alaska will play its next five on the road, playing three at Fresno and another two at Wenatchee.

Alaska split a two-game set with the Monsters early in the year. Huebel said the Avs are expecting a quality opponent.

“They’ve got some nice players, got some skills, a lot of guys who can put the puck back in the net,” Huebel said.

Forward Jake Barber currently leads the Avs with 27 points (17 goals, 10 assists). Forward Brandon Brossoit (12-13-25) has 25 points.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com. Follow him on Twitter on twitter.com/matsu_sports.