New addition scores in OT, leads Avs to victory over Brown Bears

PALMER — Tanner Fahlstedt found a great way to introduce himself to his new fans.

Fahlstedt, who was acquired in a trade with Wichita Falls before the North American Hockey League trade deadline, scored 29 seconds into overtime to lead his new team to a 4-3 overtime win over the Kenai River Brown Bears Friday at the MTA Events Center in Palmer.

“Their guy got the puck through Jesse Ramsey’s legs,” Brown Bears assistant Kyle Bailey said. “That guy doesn’t get beat very often one-on-one, but he got beat this time.”

Fahlstedt, one of two players making their Avalanche debut, helped Alaska improved to 29-14-3 overall, and stay in second place of the NAHL West with 61 points.

Defenseman Justin Lutsch, who was brought to Alaska in a trade with New Mexico, also made his debut in the game, which was also Alaska’s first action in nearly a month.

Kenai River, earned a point in the standings, but remains in fifth after the loss, with a 23-20-3 loss.

"We're obviously not happy about it, but it's good that we got the point. We're not focusing on the loss, we're focusing on the fact we got a point,” Bailey said.

Bailey said the Bears were not playing up to speed in the first two periods. Alaska's Wehebe Darge gave his squad the lead just 23 seconds into the contest. Later in the first, Brett Lubanski tied the game on an assist from Vincent Stefan.

In the second period, Alaska's Casey Nelson and Joe Schmitz collected goals to put the Bears in a 3-1 hole.

"In the third period, we just wanted to build off of every shift and get back in the game," Bailey said.

With 3:50 left, Miikael Arkimo scored on assists from Kellen Wasell and Ryan Walker. Arkimo was seeing his first action in over a month due to a concussion.

Just 26 seconds later, the Brown Bears other import forward — Marek Hemsky — evened the score on assists from Raymond Stenehjem and Lubanski. Hemsky scored in his second straight game.

The same two teams play Saturday at the MTA Events Center at 7:30 p.m.

Friday

Avalanche 4, Brown Bears 3, OT

Kenai River 1 0 2 0 —3

Alaska 1 2 0 1 —4

First period — 1. Alaska, Darge (Hansen), 0:23; 2. Kenai River, Lubanski (Stefan), 6:25. Penalties — Kenai River 1 for 2:00; Alaska 1 for 2:00.

Second period — 3. Alaska, Nelson (un), 0:49; 4. Alaska, Schmitz (Kontny), 11:59. Penalties — Kenai River 3 for 6:00; Alaska 3 for 6:00.

Third period — 5. Kenai River, Arkimo (Wasell, Walker), 16:10; 6. Kenai River, Hemsky (Stenehjem, Lubanski), 16:36. Penalties — Kenai River 3 for 6:00; Alaska 1 for 2:00.

Overtime — 7. Alaska, Fahlstedt (Schmitz), 0:29. Penalties — none.

Shots on goal — Kenai River 8-7-6-0—21; Alaska 7-10-9-1—27.

Goalies — Kenai River, Grunwald (17 shots, 14 saves); Severson (10 shots, 9 saves); Alaska, Kulmanovsky (21 shots, 18 saves).

Power plays — Kenai River 0 for 5; Alaska 0 for 7.