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It took a team effort to make sure a jaw-dropping goal by a Brown Bears player was a highlight and not a footnote.

Kenai River defeated Fairbanks 3-1 on Friday night in front of 1,010 fans at the Soldotna Sports Center in North American Hockey League play. The Brown Bears took the lead for good on a sizzling, short-handed goal by Dajon Mingo with 9 minutes, 26 seconds, left in the third period.

Saturday, the Ice Dogs took a 3-0 lead in the first period and hung on for a 3-2 victory in front of 493 at the Sports Center. Fairbanks is 7-7-1, while Kenai River is 4-13-1.

After Friday's game, Brown Bears interim head coach Oliver David was quick to point out that the only reason Mingo's goal meant something was because of strong play by the rest of the team, particularly goalie Mike Martin, who had 34 saves.

"As spectacular as Mingo's goal was, the highlight for me was the consistency in goal by Martin and the great play by every line," David said.

At 21.25 percent, Fairbanks has the second-best power play in the league. The Ice Dogs were loading up in the Kenai River zone when Jake Musselman gained control of the puck and pushed it up the ice to Mingo, who was streaking up the right side.

Mingo had one defender between him and the goal. He dangled the puck outside, then in a nifty and quick display of stickhandling, slid the puck past the defender and toward the net.

Mingo then vaulted over the defender's stick and pounced on the puck just in time to roof it on Fairbanks goalie Erick Cinotti.

"I was in a scoring slump," said Mingo, who now has seven goals but had not scored on home ice. "I just saw the opportunity. I dangled it and roofed it."

Fairbanks was on its way to outshooting the Brown Bears 13-9 in the final period, but Ice Dogs assistant Erik Largen said the Ice Dogs were not able to recover from the momentum shift caused by Mingo's goal.

"After that, we never really regained our footing," Largen said. "They worked hard and they deserved it."

With 6:50 to play, Doug Beck expanded the lead when he received the puck on the right wing and out-skated a Fairbanks defender, slashing in front of the net and beating Cinotti. Assists on the play went to Brad Duwe and Derek Bayagich.

With 3:00 to play, Fairbanks pulled its goalie and the move almost paid off immediately when Jared Larson clanged the post at 2:37. It was the second post for the Ice Dogs in the third. Will Aide had also hit iron with a one-timer from the faceoff circle with 15:00 to play.

"Good luck comes with hard work," Largen said. "We didn't play hard enough and they played hard."

David said he was happier with the team's effort than the final numbers on the scoreboard. Mingo said the effort showed up with back-checking. Martin said the effort showed up with all of Kenai River's blocked shots.

"I appreciate the effort tonight," David said. "Fairbanks is a highly skilled team. The only way we can compete with them is to outwork them."

In particular, David commended the line of Brad Fusaro, Mike Greene and Trenton Krueger for its hard work after Fairbanks pulled its goalie. David also said Kegan Kiel had a solid game on defense.

"You can't beat a team like Fairbanks with one player or one goal," Martin said. "It takes a whole team to beat them."

Carlston Brock scored Fairbanks' lone goal of the night and the lone goal of the first period. In the second, the Brown Bears tied the game when Beck drove the net and stuffed the puck into Cinotti's pads. The puck popped free and Duwe, a product of Soldotna High School, showed quick reflexes in poking the puck between Cinotti's pad and the pipe.

Duwe also almost ended the game with an empty-net goal, but his stick broke as he took that shot.

"Duwe started the year tentative, as would be expected with a rookie," David said. "He definitely has earned his way into a regular, right-wing spot, thus far."

Duwe scored his fourth goal of the year on Saturday with 7:17 to play on assists from Mingo and Jed McGlasson to cut Fairbanks' lead to 3-2.

Fairbanks had received goals from Kyle Politz, Dane Shaugabay and Johan Skinnars in the first period.

After a scoreless second, Brett Lubanski scored unassisted in the third before Duwe's goal. Fairbanks goalie Mike Taffe, who had 31 saves, was able to keep the Brown Bears from the equalizer. Jimmy Hamby had 34 saves for Kenai River.

Friday

Brown Bears 3, Ice Dogs 1

Fairbanks 1 0 0 --1

Kenai River 0 1 2 --3

First period -- 1. Fairbanks, Brock (Waggoner), 16:01. Penalties -- Fairbanks 2 for 4:00.

Second period -- 2. Kenai River, Duwe (Beck), 16:55. Penalties -- Kenai River 3 for 6:00.

Third period -- 3. Kenai River, Mingo (Musselman), sh, 10:34. 4. Kenai River, Beck (Duwe, Bayagich), 13:10. Penalties -- Fairbanks 1 for 2:00; Kenai River 1 for 2:00.

Shots on goal -- Fairbanks 9-13-13--35; Kenai River 13-14-9--36.

Goalies -- Fairbanks, Cinotti (36 shots, 33 saves); Kenai River, Martin (35 shots, 34 saves)

Power plays -- Fairbanks 0 for 4; Kenai River 0 for 3.

Saturday

Ice Dogs 3, Brown Bears 2

Fairbanks 3 0 0 --3

Kenai River 0 0 2 --2

First period -- 1. Fairbanks, Politz (Schreiner, Spratte), sh, 14:46. 2. Fairbanks, Shaugabay (Herbert), 15:29. 3. Fairbanks, Skinnars (Juola, Politz), pp, 18:21. Penalties -- Kenai River 3 for 6:00; Fairbanks 2 for 4:00.

Second period -- none. Penalties -- Kenai River 3 for 6:00; Fairbanks 3 for 6:00.

Third period -- 4. Kenai River, Lubanksi (un), 11:33. 5. Kenai River, Duwe (Mingo, McGlasson), 12:43. Penalties -- Fairbanks 1 for 2:00; Kenai River 1 for 2:00.

Shots on goal -- Fairbanks 10-10-17-- 37; Kenai River 14-6-13--33.

Goalies -- Fairbanks, Taffe (33 shots, 31 saves); Kenai River, Hamby (37 shots, 34 saves).

Power plays -- Fairbanks 1 for 5, Kenai River 0 for 5.