News
Date: Feb 01, 2010
Avalanche Return Home
By Jeremiah Bartz
Frontiersman
WASILLA — If the Alaska Avalanche want to jump back into
second place of the North American Hockey League West Division, this
weekend would probably be a good time to start a run.
The
third-place Avs currently sit in third with a 20-13-6 record and 46
points, eight shy of second-place Fairbanks. Alaska will face Kenai
River, a team it is 9-1-1 against, with a potential six points in the
standings on the line.
If that isn’t enough, Alaska is also hosting its first home series since Dec. 9.
The Avs will face Kenai River Thursday, Friday and Saturday
night at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla. The
puck is slated to drop at 7 p.m. each night.
Alaska swept the
Brown Bears during a two-game series early in the month. The Avs
blasted Kenai 8-3 during the opening game of the set and followed with
a 5-1 win. Despite the lopsided scores, Alaska head coach Dave Boitz
said the fourth-place Brown Bears have been a different team during the
second half of the season.
“They’ve improved dramatically,” Boitz said after that series.
Early
in the month, Kenai swept a three-game series against the Ice Dogs. The
Bears’ 3-2 win on Jan. 14 marked the first time that Kenai earned a
victory in the Interior in the history of the franchise.
Kenai
is led by a former Ice Dog. Forward Johan Skinners, who was acquired in
a trade with Fairbanks early in the season, has 12 points (7 goals, 5
assists) in 10 games.
Forward Doug Beck has posted a team-high 19 points (7-12-19).
Alaska enters the series fresh off a two-game split with the NAHL-leading Wenatchee Wild.
Third-year
forward Kyle Pichler led the Avs to a 5-2 win last Friday with a pair
of goals. Wasilla product Matthew Friese tallied a pair of assists.
Pichler
moved into a tie for the team-lead in scoring. The Anchorage native has
29 points (9-20-29). Forward Zach Smith (17-12-29) also has 29 points.
Defenseman Jake Parenteau has posted 28 (12-16-28).
The Avs will head back to Soldotna to face the Brown Bears Feb. 12-13.
Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.
