Defense, goaltending could be key for Avalanche in 09-10

WASILLA — Last season, the Alaska Avalanche set a franchise record for goals in a season.

With a half-dozen veterans who scored 20 or more points last year back for another season, the Avalanche expect the scoring numbers to continue to rise.

But the Avs are also looking or the goals against average to drop.

During the offseason, the Alaska coaching staff added three new goalies and a trio of young defensemen to a squad that allowed 3.86 goals per game last year.

But regardless of which pairing the Avs have on the blue line or who is manning the spot between the pipes, Alaska head coach Dave Boitz said his team’s success on the defensive end of the ice comes down to consistency.

“We weren’t awful defensively last year,” Boitz said. “We had some games where we got in some ruts. And we had some games where we played great defense and killed penalties well. It’s all about consistency.”

Gone are goalies Nathaniel Pellegrino and Dylan Woodring, who combined to start 52 of Alaska’s 58 regular-season games last year.

Both enjoyed moments of stellar play. Pellegrino stopped 40 or more shots seven times and recorded 50 or more saves twice. But he allowed five or more goals nine times, and a season-high seven goals twice.

Woodring recorded 30 or more saves 10 times, but his goals against average stayed above 4.0 for much of the season.

“It hurts the confidence of the team when you don’t know what to expect (out of your goaltender),” Boitz said.

With both goalies gone, the Avs brought in Geoff Sadjadi, Landon Peterson and Kale Robertson to compete for the spot in net.

Sadjadi, a Fairbault, Minn., native, appears to be the front-runner for the top spot between the pipes.

“We’re excited about the goalies,” Boitz said. “We kind of have Geoff pegged, but he knows he has to have a ‘W’ on the other side of his name to keep playing.”

Sadjadi played for the storied Shattuck-St. Mary’s program in Minnesota, the program that produced top players such as the Pittsburgh Penquins’ Sidney Crosby, and suited up last season for the Innisfill Lakers of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League in Ontario, Canada, last season.

He has a .930 career saves percentage, and was 14-3-0 with a 2.90 GAA last season with Innisfill.

“Geoff’s got outstanding numbers, nothing but a winning track record,” Boitz said. “We’re really relying on him bringing that to our team. Winning’s a habit, I think. If he can continue his winning ways at this level, it will be great for our team.”

The Avs also have a pair of goaltenders who stood out at the Midget AAA level last year, Landon Peterson and Kale Robertson.

“Both are very talented,” Boitz said. “They’ll be competing for that No. 2 spot, pushing Geoff for playing time.”

All three goalies will seeing playing time during the three-game series against the Kenai River Brown Bears this weekend, Boitz said.

The Avs will have four veterans to line up on the blue line, in front of a new set of goalies. Defensemen Braden Kinnebrew, Logan Maly, Daniel Hildebrandt and Jake Parenteau return. Boitz said his veteran blueliners possess a good mix of size, skill and grit.

Parenteu is Alaska’s top scoring defenseman back. Last season, as an NAHL rookie, the Shafer, Minn., native led the league with 10 goals by a defenseman. He also handed out 11 assists.

“Parenteu may be the most talented athletically,” Boitz said.

Kinnebrew, an Anchorage native, added five goals and 10 assists during two stints with the club. Hildebrandt enjoyed a strong second half of the season and scored five goals and four assists.

Maly, who adds a lot of grit to the blueline, Boitz said, added four points.

New to the group of defensemen are Anchorage natives Raymond Stenehjem and Chase Van Allen, and Jake Williams.

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