The Fairbanks Ice Dogs defeated the Kenai River Brown Bears 3-1 on Friday in North American Hockey League action at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks.
The Ice Dogs won for a fifth straight time to take a commanding lead in the Club 49 Cup. The Ice Dogs have 15 points, while the Anchorage Wolverines have six and Kenai River has three.
Fairbanks is 13-3-1-2 and in third place in the Midwest Division. The Bears, who have two points in their last eight games, are 8-12-1-2 and in seventh place in the division.
Kenai River had command in the shot count Friday, holding the Ice Dogs to 14 shots on goal, while the Bears put 26 on net.
“It had a playoff hockey feel,” Kenai River head coach Taylor Shaw said. “It was good. It was a tight game.
“The boys played hard. We had chances. We’ll get back after it tomorrow.”
The same two teams play Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Big Dipper.
Fairbanks made the most of its opportunities, starting with a goal by Aidan Bergner to lead 1-0 after the first period.
“They got a breakaway goal there in the first period,” Shaw said. “We had just killed off a penalty, so we had some momentum going.
“But I like the group’s response.”
Just 39 seconds into the second period, Brady Engelkes tied it for the Bears with help from Andrew Larson and Austin Petersen. Engelkes now has three goals in his last four games.
“We scored on a breakaway, and I think we had another three or four,” Shaw said. “We had a two-on-none we didn’t convert on.
“Just got to find a way to keep doing the right things and get the looks, and they’ll eventually fall for us.”
Before the second period was out, Wyatt Carlson gave the Ice Dogs the lead back.
With 6:32 left in the third period, Adam Timm scored to put Fairbanks up 3-1.
Charlie Menard had 23 saves for the Ice Dogs, while Mitchell Mccusker stopped 11 for the Bears.
Friday
Ice Dogs 3, Brown Bears 1
Ken 0 1 0 —1
Fai 1 1 1 —3
First period — 1. Fairbanks, Bergner (Plante, House), 12:24. Penalties — Kenai River 1 for 2:00.
Second period — 2. Kenai River, Engelkes (Larson, Petersen), 0:39. 3. Fairbanks, Carlson (Burke, Gillmore), 6:30. Penalties — Kenai River 2 for 4:00; Fairbanks 1 for 2:00.
Third period — 4. Fairbanks, Timm (Burke, Carlson), 13:28. Penalties — Kenai River 1 for 2:00; Fairbanks 1 for 2:00.
Shots on goal — Kenai River 4-12-10—26; Fairbanks 3-5-6—14.
Goalies — Kenai River, Mccusker (14 shots, 11 saves); Fairbanks, Menard (24 shots, 23 saves).
Power plays — Kenai River 0 for 2; Fairbanks 0 for 4.
