Off to a fast start

WASILLA —On Saturday, during a 3-0 win over Kenai River, Alaska head coach Dave Boitz watched his team stay in control of the Brown Bears.

On Sunday, Boitz saw his team lose control, and get it back.

Alaska scored four unanswerd goals during the final 15 minutes of regulation, and the Avs earned a 7-3 win over the Brown Bears at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

Berkley Scott, Zach Smith, Logan Rounds and Chase Van Allen each scored third-period goals to help Alaska turn a tied game into a lopsided victory.

“I thought it was a good challenge for our guys,” said Boitz, whose Avalanche improved to 3-0 after sweeping the season-opening series with the Bears. “They did a good job, I’m really happy with that.”

After Alaska scored three times during the first 14 minutes to take the 3-0, Kenai used goals midway through the first, late in the second and within the first minute of the third to tie the score at 3-3.

Anchorage native and Kenai defenseman Trace Strahle cut the score to 3-2 in the second, a period in which the Bears outshot the Avs 12-3.

“They outshot us, outplayed us, outworked us,” Boitz said of the play in the second period. “They were taking the game from us.”

Josh Royston scored for Kenai on the power play 49 seconds into the third to tie the score.

Then it was all Avalanche.

Five minutes into the third, Scott scored on the power play to give Alaska the 4-3.

Smith and Rounds followed with goals during a two-minute span midway through the third.

Smith led the Avalanche with two goals in the win. Robb Haider and Nardo Nagtzaam also scored first-period goals for Alaska.

Goalie Landon Peterson earned the win in his first career Junior A start. Peterson, an Oregon, Wisc.., native stopped 28 shots, and 11 in the second period.

“I thought he made some really nice saves,” Boitz said. “He probably got tested a little more than the two other guys.”

Peterson was the third Alaska goalie to see time in net. Geoff Sadjadi stopped 25 shots during a 7-2 win on Friday. Kale Robertson recorded 15 saves during the 3-0 shutout on Saturday.

“All three goaltenders looked legitamate, like they were Junior A caliber, good NAHL goaltenders,” Boitz said. “I’m definitely happy to see that.”

In all, Alaska outscored Kenai River 17-5 and outshot the Brown Bears 108-73 during the series.

Smith posted a team-high seven points during the series (4-3-7). Haider (4-2-6) notched six points and assistant captain Kyle Pichler (1-4-5) added five during the series.

Overall, Boitz said he’s pleased with what he saw during the three wins.

“I think we have a pretty good handle on where guys fit in,” Boitz said.

The Avalanche left the Mat-Su Valley Monday night, heading to Blaine, Minn., where they will compete in the four-day NAHL Showcase tournament.

Alaska begins tournament play Wednesday against Traverse City at 7:30 a.m. AST. The Avs face Springfield on Thursday, Albert Lea on Friday and Owatonna on Saturday.

Boitz said the Avs will have to play the next two games without Smith, who’ll be serving a two-game suspension thanks to his tussle with Kenai’s Derek Bayagich late in the third period on Friday. Smith and Bayagich were issued game misconducts for fighting with less than five minutes to play.

Smith and Nagtzaam made up two-thirds of a productive second line during the Kenai series.

“We’ll have to find someone to play with Nardo on that second line,” Boitz said.

Continuing to tweak the line combinations and seeing improvement on special teams are among the objectives for the tournament, Boitz said.

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

Alaska 7, Kenai River 3

Sunday, Menard Memorial Arena

First period — 1. Alaska- Smith (May, Stenehjem) 2:32; 2. Alaska- Haider (Scott, Pichler) 12:20; 3. Alaska- Nagtzaam (unassisted) sh 13:37; 4. Kenai River- Beck (unassisted) pp 14:30.

Second period — 5. Kenai River- Strahle (Mingo) 17:47.

Third period — 6. Kenai River- Royston (Moran, Spencer) pp 0:49; 7. Alaska- Scott (Pichler, Haider) pp 5:03; 8. Alaska- Smith (Huppert) 13:53; 9. Alaska- Rounds (unassisted) 15:10; 10. Alaska- Van Allen (unassisted) pp 18:30.

Shots on goal: Kenai River 11-12-8—31; Alaska 14-3-14—31; Saves: Kenai River- Ross 11-3-10—24, Alaska- Peterson 10-11-9—28; Power plays: Kenai River 2-for-10, Alaska 2-for-10; Penalties: Kenai River 13-for-55, Alaska 13-for-37.