Ice Dogs power past Avalanche

Oct. 8, 2006

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

WASILLA - In a game dominated by play on special teams, Fairbanks had control when it mattered.

The Ice Dogs scored three times with the advantage and added a shorthanded tally in a 4-3 win over the Alaska Avalanche at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena on Friday.

Alaska also scored three times on the power play, but Fairbanks posted three of its four goals in the final period.

Maxim Maleev and Wes Love each scored third-period power-play goals as Fairbanks converted three of its eight opportunities with the man advantage, and spoiled the Valley-debut of the Avalanche.

Alaska captain Jeff Dimmen gave the Avs the 1-0 lead midway through the first period, with a power-play goal of his own. But after Eddie Samuels gave the Dogs a 2-1 advantage with his shorthanded score, the Avs were unable to get back the lead.

&#8220Our intensity level from the start of the game to the end of the game went straight down,” a disappointed Dean Larson said after the game. &#8220We came out and played pretty hard in the first period. The second period, our intensity level went down. The third period, we didn't win any battles.”

Alaska out-shot Fairbanks 44-24 in the game, and had 13 chances with the man-advantage.

&#8220We had the opportunities on the power play, but they got gritty,” Larson, Alaska's second-year head coach, said. &#8220They got the puck out, and did what it took to win the hockey game.”

Alaska did get 44 shots, but Larson said he'd like to see his team bring pressure closer to the net.

&#8220We've been telling these guys all year, we're not scoring from the perimeter,” Larson said. &#8220All of our goals have been off rebounds, and around the net. Until we start doing that consistently, we're not going to score a lot of goals.”

When Alaska was able to get in close to the Ice Dogs' net and put pressure on Fairbanks goalie Shane Madolora, the Avs did have success.

Dimmen was in close to the net, when he took a Travis Stevens pass and scored the first goal of the game. Alaska's second goal, a Brad McCabe tally, was a rebound off a Dimmen shot.

&#8220That's where you're scoring the majority of the goals,” Dimmen said. &#8220And if you're not scoring goals, you're not getting into that area.”

Jared McIntosh scored with 53 seconds left to pull with Avalanche with in one goal.

A crowd of 1,078 fans saw that Alaska certainly has the potential to put the puck in the net. McCabe scored his seventh goal of the season, and Stevens, another speedy forward, posted two

assists.

&#8220We've got a lot better forwards here than last year,” said Dimmen, a defensmen starting his second season of junior hockey in the Valley. &#8220We've got more skill, but we've got to put it to use.”

Saturday marked Alaska's first home game of the year, but also its last contest at the Menard Arena until Nov. 16. The Avalanche play 21 of their first 22 games on the road. Dimmen said its something his team is going to have to work through.

&#8220It wears on you, but you've just got to battle through it,” Dimmen said.

Fairbanks 4, Alaska 1

Nick Haddad scored a pair of goals to lead the Ice Dogs to a 4-1 win over the Avalanche in Fairbanks on Saturday.

Brandon Graffunder post Alaska's lone score, a power-play goal, early in the second period. McCabe and Jesse Bryant registered assists on the play.

Samuels and Maleev also scored for Fairbanks.

Nathanial Pellegrino stopped 26 shots in the game, as Alaska dropped to 3-7-1.

Fairbanks improved to 6-5-0 with the home-and-home sweep over its intrastate rival.

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