‘Gordie Howe hat trick’ leads Avalanche to win over Kenai River

SOLDOTNA — The Alaska Avalanche continued their reign over the Kenai River Brown Bears thanks in part to Matthew Friese and his “Gordie Howe hat trick.”

Friese recorded a goal, two assists and a five-minute fighting major to lead the Avs to a 5-2 win over the Brown Bears at the Soldotna Sports Center in Soldotna on Saturday.

The Gordie Howe hat trick is named for the hockey legend, who liked to scrap as well as score. The unofficial statistic recognizes when a player scores a goal, nets and assist and gets whistled for a fighting major all in the same game.

The victory netted the two-game series sweep for the Avalanche, and pushed Alaska’s record against the Bears this season to 13-1-1.

Friese, a former Wasilla High School standout and the reigning North American Hockey League West Division Player of the Week, scored with five minutes left in the first to give the Avs the 2-0 lead.

He also set up Alaska’s first goal, a Seth Johnson score, and grabbed a second assist on Kyle Pichler’s third period score.

If that wasn’t enough, Friese also rumbled with Kenai River’s Ryan Townsend early in the second.

Robb Haider and Zach Smith also scored to help Alaska improve to 25-13-6.

Kale Robertson recorded 32 saves to earn the win in the Alaska net.

Alaska is still in third place in the West Division, but now sit just a point behind second-place Fairbanks (27-19-3).

Alaska hosts Fairbanks in a pivotal three-game set that starts Thursday at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

— Jeremiah Bartz

Alaska 5, Kenai River 2

Saturday, Soldotna Sports Center

First period — 1. Alaska- S. Johnson (Friese, Maly) 3:59; 2. Alaska- Friese (S. Johnson, Schwartz) 15:01; 3. Alaska- Haider (Williams, Rounds) pp 16:51; 4. Kenai River- Royston (Skinnars, Kinnebrew) pp 18:29.

Second period — 5. Kenai River- Strahle (Rial, Bayagich) 0:57.

Third period — 6. Alaska- Pichler (Rounds, Friese) 8:00; 7. Alaska- Smith (McGlasson, Huppert) 15:01.

Shots on goal: Alaska 13-9-17—39, Kenai River 8-13-13—34; Saves: Alaska- Robertson 7-12-13—32, Kenai River- Martin 10-x-x—10, Vaslijevs x-9-15—24; Power plays: Alaska 1-for-5, Kenai River 1-for-5; Penalty minutes: Alaska 7-for-27, Kenai River 7-for-17.