GRADING THE AVS

PALMER — In each of the last two seasons, the Alaska Avalanche skated to a franchise-record 32 wins. That’s a significant mark for a local Junior A hockey organization that’s faced its fair share of turbulence during its seven-year stay in the Mat-Su Valley.

But this year, the Avs are on pace to shatter that record before they even hit the final month of the season.

Just past the midway point of the 2011-12 season, Alaska sits in first place of the North American Hockey League West Division with a 22-9-2 mark and 46 points in the standings. The team features a head coach, assistant coach and general manager who are all in their first year with the club, and only nine veterans of an Avalanche squad that finished third in the NAHL West last season. But despite the turnover and the new faces, head coach Corey Millen, assistant coach Josh Petrich and 15 newcomers have positioned the Avalanche to make a run toward the Robertson Cup, and break records in the process.

Now 33 games into the 60-game regular season, Alaska is only 10 wins away from tying its franchise record for victories. The Avs are also on pace to break the organization’s record for points in the standings, a mark of 71 set in the 2009-10 season. Alaska already has 46 points in the West division.

The Avs are currently averaging 3.27 goals per game, which would be third-best in team history if the season ended today. But Alaska is allowing only 2.66 goals per game, better than the team record of 2.98 set last year.

The records are nice, but the goal is to make the deep run in the postseason. The Valley franchise has yet to make it past the first round.

As the Avs head into a 20-day holiday break, Alaska assistant coach Josh Petrich graded the work of the Avs during the first 33 games of the season.

Forwards:

The play of the rookies on the front line has been the story of the first half of the season for the Avalanche.

Alaska lost a pair of top scorers during the offseason — Matt Friese and Eliot Grauer — to the lure of the United States Hockey League. Veterans Brandon Brossoit (15 goals and 21 assists last year) and Evan Hesse (6 goals and 9 assists last season) who were projected to lead the 2011-12 crop of front-liners, started the season injured. Another forward scheduled to return, Anchorage native Connor Wright, didn’t come back to the team until the final game in September.

Needing to fill a void up front, Alaska acquired Kevin Novakovich in a trade with NAHL rival Topeka.

“The trade for Novakovich has been huge for us,” Petrich said of the California native, who is currently third on the team in scoring with 26 points (10-16-26).

The Avs also signed a pair of Anchorage prospects who had been playing in Canada. Cobi Smith-Mass had been suiting up in the British Columbia Hockey League and Codey Hansen was skating in the Alberta Hockey League. Smith-Mass has 5-3-8 totals in 26 games, while Hansen has chipped in 3-4-7 totals in 26 games. Both players also have provided size and a physical presence.

A handful of Alaska’s returning forwards — Ross Pavek, Wehebe Darge and Cody Bisbing — have provided the team with stability and a veteran presence. Pavek has skated in all 33 games this season, Darge has seen action in 32 and Bisbing has 29 games under his belt.

“They’ve been kind of the unsung heroes,” Petrich said of that trio.

But the rookies have arguably put the Avs over the top. First-year forward Evan Janssen (16-14-30) leads the team in goals and scoring, and is on pace to become the first 50-point scorer in franchise history. Gage Christianson (9-20-29), Mitch Kontny (14-10-24) and Ryan Dau (5-16-21) are also rookies with 21 or more points this season.

Rookie Jordan Watt has also had success, collecting 5-7-12 totals in 26 games.

Brossoit has returned from injury, and is making an impact. He has 16 points in 17 games.

As an offense, the Avs are averaging 3.27 goals per game, and have 11 players with five or more goals this season.

Grade: A-

Defensemen:

Petrich said the Avs coaches have been impressed with the team’s ability to play defense as a whole. Alaska is allowing only 2.66 goals per game, the lowest in franchise history.

“It’s such a team-oriented effort,” Petrich said. “This is not going to be a team where three kids can win games for us. We’ve got to all show up and play 60 minutes.”

Captain Joe Schmitz leads the Alaska defense.

The University of Connecticut recruit is second in the NAHL in scoring among defensemen with 23 points, and third among league blueliners with a +24 rating. He’s also the unquestioned leader on the squad and a valued veteran presence.

Schmitz and second-year defenseman Casey Nelson were the only veterans set to. With a need on defense, Alaska acquired veteran Patrick Kinkopf in an offseason deal with Wenatchee. Alaska also received Jeff Bergh in a deal with Alexandria early in the year.

“The veterans have been very solid,” Petrich said.

Alaska combined those veterans with rookies Jesse Kessler, Chris Buchanan and Bryan McFarlane. Kessler has turned into an everyday player, skating in 32 games. Buchanan is listed on the NHL Central Scouting’s watch list and McFarlane has appeared in 10 games this year.

“Our rookies have done everything we’ve asked for,” Petrich said. “Top to bottom, these kids have done great things.”

Grade: A

Goaltending:

Petrich, a former goalie himself, has said numerous times he believes Alaska has the best set of goalies in the NAHL.

Veteran Nick Kulmanovsky is 12-6-1 in 20 games. He has a 2.44 goals against average and .923 saves percentage, and has pitched a trio of shutouts. Engum is 10-3-0, with a 2.79 GAA and .895 saves percentage.

“They’ve been great. They’ve both been really solid,” Petrich said. “Kulmanovksy has been really good, a workhorse. But even more so, Bodhi, as a rookie, has done whatever we’ve asked of him.”

More than anything, Petrich said, Alaska’s goaltenders have given the team the confidence in the ability to win on any night.

Grade: A

Special teams:

The special teams have been a work in progress, but Petrich said the Avs are pleased with the improvement of both the power play and penalty kill.

“There’s such a big learning curve from midgets and high school to juniors,” Petrich said. “I think special teams is a big part of that.”

Alaska’s biggest improvement with the special teams has come on the power play. Early in the season, the Avs were stuck with a percentage in single digits. Now, Alaska is 11th in the league a 18.07 percent. The Avs are also third in the NAHL with 30 power-play goals.

“We struggled early, but right now we’re clicking,” Petrich said.

Before a 3-2 overtime loss to Fairbanks last Saturday, Alaska had posted at least one power-play goal in seven straight games. The Avs were 10 for 29 with the advantage during the stretch, good enough for 34 percent.

Alaska’s penalty kill unit is at 82.51 percent.

“I think our penalty kill has been great all year,” Petrich said.

The Avs will face a handful of the top power-play units throughout the year. The top two and three of the top four teams in the league on the power play hail from the West Division. Fairbanks has the league’s top power play, with a percentage of 24.09. Frenso (23.73) is ranked second and Wenatchee (21.64) is No. 4.

Alaska’s worst two-game series of the season also put a giant dent in the Avs’ penalty kill percentage. During consecutive losses to Wenatchee (8-4 and 7-0) the Wild were a combined 8 for 19 in two games on the power play.

“Take away that weekend and we’re at 89 percent. That’s how huge that was,” Petrich said.

Grade: Power play B, Penalty kill A-.

Overall:

The Alaska staff is thrilled to see 22 wins during the first 33 games, and ready to see what the next 27 bring.

“It’s tough not to give the whole team an A,” Petrich said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Alaska Avalanche scoring

(As of Dec. 13)

Player GP G A Pts

Evan Janssen 33 16 14 30

Gage Christianson 32 9 20 29

Kevin Novakovich 33 10 16 26

Mitch Kontny 33 14 10 24

Joe Schmitz 32 5 18 23

Rya Dau 30 5 16 21

Ross Pavek 33 3 16 19

Brandon Brossoit 17 6 10 16

Casey Nelson 32 1 12 13

Jeff Bergh 23 6 6 12

Jordan Watt 26 5 7 12

Connor Wright 19 4 8 12

Wehebe Darge 32 5 6 11

Patrick Kinkopf 32 4 6 10

Cobi Smith-Mass 26 5 3 8

Jesse Kessler 32 1 7 8

Codey Hanson 26 3 4 7

Cody Bisbing 29 1 6 7

Kristaps Bazevics 10 2 2 4

Evan Hesse 7 1 3 4

Chris Buchanon 25 1 0 1

Alaska Avalanche goaltending

Player W-L-T GAA

Nick Kulmanovsky 12-6-1 2.44

Bodhi Engum 10-3-0 2.79