Series split; Monsters spoil Avs shot at sweep

PALMER — If they were lost during the first period Friday, the Alaska Avalanche found what they were looking for in the second.

The Avs also found the back of the net.

Alaska scored a trio of second-period goals, goalie Bodhi Engum posted the 23-save shutout and the Avalanche scored a 3-0 win over the Fresno Monsters at the MTA Events Center in Palmer.

Tanner Fahlstedt, Brandon Brossoit and Evan Hesse each scored second-period goals to help the Avs grab the win and recover from what was a far-different first period.

“We didn’t buy in early,” Alaska assistant coach Josh Petrich said of the first-period effort. “We didn’t shoot. We were outshot 11-3. We didn’t play Avalanche hockey.”

But in the second, things were far different.

Fahlstedt opened the scoring, taking a Joe Schmitz rebound and placing a shot from between the circles into the net. Fahlstedt’s score, his third in five games with the Avs, gave Alaska the 1-0 lead at the 7:05 mark.

Just more than a minute later, Brossoit came up the right wing and put a shot into the far side of the net.

Hesse chipped in a one-timer from the left wing circle at the 13:02 mark.

“We got a couple quick goals and worked at it,” Petrich said. “We were rolling.”

Alaska outshot Fresno 17-8 in the period.

“We came into the second, we outshot them and we were up 3-0. That’s Avalanche hockey,” Petrich said. “That’s what we’ve got to do.”

Engum stopped all 23 shots he saw to grab his first career NAHL shutout. About half of those saves came in the first period.

“Bohdi played great for us tonight in net. He had a breakaway save to make, a couple power play saves he had to make,” Petrich said. “That’s a key for us, too. When we’re winning we’ve got good goaltending.”

Mitch Kontny collected a pair of assists for Alaska in the win.

Fresno salvaged the series split with a 4-3 win over the Avs on Saturday.

The win and loss left Alaska with a 30-16-4 mark and in third place of the NAHL West Division with 64 points in the standings. Fresno improved to 22-20-9 and remains in fifth place.

Fairbanks and Wenatchee both extended their leads in the standings over the Avs with wins Saturday. First-place Fairbanks, which beat Kenai River 4-2 on Saturday, is 34-11-7. With 75 points in the standings, the Ice Dogs became the first NAHL West team this season to clinch a playoff berth.

Wenatchee blanked Dawson Creek 4-0 on Saturday to improve to 32-15-6. The second-place Wild have 70 points in the second, a half-dozen more than the Avalanche.

Hesse, Schmitz and Wehebe Darge all scored goals for Alaska Saturday.

The Avs continue their homestand Friday and Saturday, hosting Kenai River.

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

Alaska 3, Fresno 0

Friday, MTA Events Center

First period — No scoring.

Second period — 1. Alaska- Fahlstedt (Schmitz, Darge) 7:05; 2. Alaska- Brossoit (Kontny, Christianson) 8:08; 3. Alaska- Hesse (Brossoit, Kontny) 13:02.

Third period — No scoring.

Shots on goal: Frenso 11-8-4—23, Alaska 3-17-6—26; Saves: Fresno- Haight 3-14-6—23, Alaska- Engum 11-8-4-23; Power plays: Fresno 0 for 7, Alaska 0 for 3.

Fresno 4, Alaska 3

Saturday, MTA Events Center

First period — 1. Alaska- Hesse (Hansen, Kessler) 2:05; 2. Fresno- Bushinski (Witty, Bittner) 6:05.

Second period — 3. Fresno- Buffardi (Anderson) 8:36; 4. Alaska- Darge (Janssen, Christianson) 10:11; 5. Fresno- Winkler (Bushinski) 18:17.

Third period — 6. Fresno- Anderson (Wallace) sh 7:47; 7. Alaska- Schmitz (Kinkopf, Kontny) 11:06.

Shots on goal: Fresno 7-9-7—23, Alaska 12-9-7—28; Saves: Fresno- Sholl 11-8-6—25, Alaska- Engum 6-7-6—19; Power plays: Fresno 0 for 4, Alaska 1 for 5.