Spirit get first win in Fairbanks

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Frontiersman sports editor

FAIRBANKS - Late last month, after a two-week break, the Fairbanks Ice Dogs defeated the Wasilla Spirit 3-1 on Wasilla's home ice.

On Friday, the Spirit returned the favor.

Wasilla jumped out to a 2-0 and defeated the Ice Dogs 3-1 at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks, giving the Spirit a win in the first game in two weeks.

Not only was it a win in the first game of the month of December, it was Wasilla's first win at the Big Dipper.

&#8220We haven't won up here so that was kind of a motivator,” Spirit head coach Dean Larson said. &#8220We talked about it. It's what we wanted to do. And we got the job done.”

Wasilla had dropped two regular season games and a pair of exhibition matches at the Dipper - a rowdy arena almost always crammed full of fans passionate about hockey.

&#8220It's a fun rink to play in. I used to love to come up here when I was with the Seawolves and the Aces,” Larson said. &#8220Every game we've played up here, we've played good games. It's just a matter of finally winning up here.”

David Gault, Wasilla's leading scorer, and Trevor Tolibas each posted a goal and an assist in the win.

Mikka Keskitalo also scored for the Spirit.

Tolibas gave the Spirit a 1-0 lead, just less than eight minutes into the game.

&#8220I thought the first 10 minutes we've played the best hockey we've played all year, 5-on-5,” Larson said.

Larson said the Spirit were not only refreshed and healthy after the break, the team was able to focus on a variety of things during as practice.

&#8220We've played so many games, so we don't get that much practice time. The biggest thing about having a break is we had some time to work on some things,” Larson said.

Wasilla took a 2-1 lead into the third period, and needed to kill a four-minute penalty midway through the period to preserve the lead.

Forward Mike Glaesmer was given a four-minute double minor for spearing and a 10-minute misconduct with 8 minutes and 54 seconds remaining in regulation.

&#8220We did a nice job of keeping them to the outside,” Larson said. &#8220Andrew (Volkening) had to make some big saves, which he did. Your goalie has got to be your best penalty killer.”

Volkening, Wasilla's starting netminder, stopped 11 shots on goal in the third period, and posted 37 saves in the game.