The Kenai River Brown Bears split a North American Hockey League Series with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Friday and Saturday at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks.
The Brown Bears won 5-4 in overtime Friday before the Ice Dogs claimed a 2-1 overtime victory Saturday.
The weekend left Fairbanks with 21 in the Club 49 Cup, while Kenai River has 16 and Anchorage has 13.
With 17 games left on the schedule, the Bears have secured points in the last seven games as they hunt a playoff spot out of the Midwest Division.
Kenai River is 18-20-3-2, good for 41 points and sixth place in the league. The Ice Dogs are in third at 25-9-3-3, while the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel have the fourth and final playoff spot with 48 points.
The Brown Bears stay on the road for the next four games, starting by playing at the Janesville (Wisconsin) Jets on Friday, Feb. 14, at 4:05 p.m.
Friday’s game was back and forth, with the Bears taking the lead three times before the Ice Dogs grabbed their only lead in the third period. Kenai River then scored the final two goals of the game, with Gavin Jensen completing his hat trick with the game-winner with 40 seconds left in the five-minute overtime.
Jensen, assisted by Luke Lizak and Andy Larson, got the Bears the lead in the first period, but Kyle Rohrer tied it heading to the second period.
Jensen struck again in the second period, assisted by Austin Petersen and Wes Berg, but Cole Burke tied it for Fairbanks. With 6 seconds left in the second period, Berg, assisted by Thomas Gunderson and Brady Engelkes, gave the Bears the lead again.
By the time 11:08 was left in the game, Fairbanks led on goals by Gage Leonard and Brent Gulenchyn.
With 9:19 left, Joseph Yoon, assisted by Luke Hause and goalie Owen Zenone, scored to tie it up. That set up the winner for Jensen, which was assisted by Larson.
Zenone stopped 38 for the Bears, while Charlie Menard had 17 saves for Fairbanks.
Saturday, the Bears carried a 1-0 lead late in the game, but took a penalty with 52 seconds left. Burke tied it up on the power play with 44 seconds left, then Luca Ricciardi scored unassisted in overtime for the win.
Michael Fiedorczuk, assisted by Riley Mullen and Colten Nestler, had given the Bears the lead with 16:09 left in the game.
Zenone had 40 saves, while Mason McElroy stopped 35 for the Ice Dogs.
Friday
Brown Bears 5, Ice Dogs 4, OT
Ken 1 2 1 1 —5
Fai 1 1 2 0 —4
First period — 1. Kenai River, Jensen (Lizak, Larson), 7:13. 2. Fairbanks, Rohrer (Coyle, Plante), 8:36. Penalties — Kenai River 2 for 4:00.
Second period — 3. Kenai River, Jensen (Petersen, Berg), 2:38. 4. Fairbanks, Burke (Plante, Rohrer), pp, 17:18. 5. Kenai River, Berg (Gunderson, Engelkes), 19:54. Penalties — Kenai River 1 for 2:00.
Third period — 6. Fairbanks, Leonard (Rohrer, Norkevicus), 1:57. 7. Fairbanks, Gulenchyn (Madsen, Carlson), 8:52. 8. Kenai River, Yoon (Hause, Zenone), pp, 12:41. Penalties — Fairbanks 2 for 4:00.
Shots on goal — Kenai River 5-6-9-2—22; Fairbanks 13-15-12-2—42.
Goalies — Kenai River, Zenone (42 shots, 38 saves); Fairbanks, Menard (22 shots, 17 saves).
Power plays — Kenai River 1 for 2; Fairbanks 1 for 3.
Saturday
Ice Dogs 2, Brown Bears 1, OT
Ken 0 0 1 0 —1
Fai 0 0 1 1 —2
First period — none. Penalties — Kenai River 1 for 2:00; Fairbanks 2 for 4:00.
Second period — none. Penalties — Kenai River 2 for 4:00; Fairbanks 3 for 6:00.
Third period — 1. Kenai River, Fiedorczuk (Mullen, Nestler), 3:51. 2. Fairbanks, Burke (Coyle, Pendo), 19:16. Penalties — Kenai River 2 for 4:00.
Overtime — 3. Fairbanks, Ricciardi (un.), 2:49. Penalties — none.
Shots on goal — Kenai River 9-15-8-4—36; Fairbanks 14-10-16-2—42.
Goalies — Kenai River, Zenone (42 shots, 40 saves); Fairbanks, McElroy (36 shots, 35 saves).
Power plays — Kenai River 0 for 5; Fairbanks 1 for 5.
