Ice Dogs sweep Brown Bears

Ice Dogs sweep Brown Bears

The host Fairbanks Ice Dogs swept the Kenai River Brown Bears in a three-game North American Hockey League series this weekend.

After a 7-2 win Thursday, Fairbanks won 5-4 in overtime Friday and 6-3 on Saturday.

The sweep knots up the Ravn Cup, the seasonlong battle for supremacy between Alaska’s two junior teams, at 3-3. Both teams also have one extra-time loss in the series.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Fairbanks stretched its lead over the second-place Brown Bears in the Midwest Division to 15 points. The Ice Dogs are 33-9-1-2, while the Bears are 24-15-3-3.

Friday, the Ice Dogs came from two goals down in the third period.

Wasilla’s Porter Schachle, assisted by Peter Morgan and Daymin Dodge, scored the lone goal of the first period to give the Bears a solid start.

Anchorage’s Zach Krajnik, assisted by Logan Ritchie, then put the Bears up 2-0 early in the second period. Adam Eisele got Fairbanks on the board, but Trey LaBarge, assisted by Cody Moline and Laudon Poellinger, put the Bears up 3-1 with 2:45 left in the second period. Fairbanks’ Matt Koethe made it 3-2 headed to the third.

Krajnik, assisted by Ritchie and JJ Boucher, gave the Bears a 4-2 lead just 1:32 into the third period. But by the 12:09 mark in the third, Laker Aldridge and Dylan Abbott had things tied for the Ice Dogs.

Lucas Erickson scored just 15 seconds into overtime to end the game.

Landon Pavlisin stopped 33 for Kenai River, while Mattias Sholl had 19 saves for the Ice Dogs.

Saturday, Krajnik scored twice in the third period, while Anchorage’s Max Osborne added another goal, but Fairbanks left the first tied at 3, then scored two in the second and one in the third.

Pavlisin made 23 saves, while Wild stopped 22.

Friday

Ice Dogs 5, Brown Bears 4

Kenai River 1 2 1 0 —4

Fairbanks 0 2 2 1 —5

First period — 1. Kenai River, Schachle (Morgan, Dodge), 2:06. Penalties — Kenai River 1 for 2:00; Fairbanks 3 for 6:00.

Second period — 2. Kenai River, Krajnik (Ritchie), 4:05; 3. Fairbanks, Eisele (Kjaer, Erickson), pp, 14:50; 4. Kenai River, LaBarge (Moline, Poellinger), 17:15; 5. Fairbanks, Koethe (Ciolli, Woods), 18:47. Penalties — Kenai River 2 for 4:00.

Third period — 6. Kenai River, Krajnik (Ritchie, Boucher), 1:32; 7. Fairbanks, Aldridge (Deweese, Plante), 5:53; 8. Fairbanks, Abbott (Koethe, Ciolli), 7:51. Penalties — Fairbanks 1 for 2:00.

Overtime — 9. Fairbanks, Erickson (Kjaer, Brown), 0:15. Penalties — none.

Shots on goal — Kenai River 8-7-8-0—23; Fairbanks 15-12-10-1—38.

Goalies — Kenai River, Pavlisin (38 shots, 33 saves); Fairbanks, Sholl (23 shots, 19 saves).

Power plays — Kenai River 0 for 3, Fairbanks 1 for 2.

Saturday

Ice Dogs 6, Brown Bears 3

Kenai River 3 0 0 —3

Fairbanks 3 2 1 —6

First period — 1. Kenai River, Krajnik (un.), 1:16; 2. Fairbanks, Aldridge (Brown), 3:27; 3. Kenai River, Krajnik (Helgeson, Osborne), 4:36; 4. Fairbanks, Link (Erkkila, Braslavski), 5:35; 5. Fairbanks, Koethe (Ciolli, Johnston), pp, 8:33; 6. Kenai River, Osborne (Ritchie, Helgeson), pp, 19:53. Penalties — Kenai River 2 for 4:00; Fairbanks 2 for 4:00.

Second period — 7. Fairbanks, Kjaer (Erickson, Eisele), 7:03; 8. Fairbanks, Junker (Brown), 15:14. Penalties — Kenai River 3 for 6:00; Fairbanks 2 for 4:00.

Third period — 9. Fairbanks, Abbott (Aldridge), 3:54. Penalties — Kenai River 2 for 4:00; Fairbanks 1 for 2:00.

Shots on goal — Kenai River 14-7-8—29; Fairbanks 11-15-5—31.

Goalies — Kenai River, Pavlisin (29 shots, 23 saves); Fairbanks, Wild (25 shots, 22 saves).

Power plays — Kenai River 1 for 4; Fairbanks 2 for 6.

More in Sports

Soldotna's Beau Johnson competes in Chute Dogging on Saturday, June 28, 2025, in the second Soldotna Equestrian Association rodeo of the year at the Soldotna Rodeo Grounds in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna Equestrian Association holds 2nd rodeo of season

The Soldotna Equestrian Association is holding its second rodeo of the season… Continue reading

Malakai BeDunnah and Ari Miller of the American Legion Post 20 Twins are congratulated by head coach Robb Quelland on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at the Alaska 529 Midseason Classic at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report)
Saturday: Twins reach semifinals of Midseason Classic

With two ties Saturday, the American Legion Post 20 Twins moved into… Continue reading

tease
Friday: Twins start Midseason Classic by topping South

The American Legion Post 20 Twins defeated South Post 4 10-6 on… Continue reading

Nick Varney
Reeling ‘Em In: Kudos to anglers who adhere to fishing regulations

Line launchers mimicking the scofflaw’s method is one of the reasons fish get spooked and quit biting.

Jared Hutchings leads the Mini Stock pack on the way to victory in the feature Saturday, June 21, 2025, at the Mini Stock Dirty 30 at Twin City Raceway in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Hutchings captures Mini Stock Dirty 30 at Twin City Raceway

Editor’s note: This story corrects the results of Mini Stock Heat 2.… Continue reading

Kenai's Jason Parks runs to a win in the men's marathon at the Kenai River Marathon on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Assistant coach Krista Arthur plus the 3,200-meter relay of Sasha Brott, Annie Burns, Sophia Jedlicki and Katie DeBardelaben at Nike Outdoor Nationals at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, from June 19 to 22, 2025. (Photo provided)
Soldotna medals in 3 events, sets 2 school records at Nike Outdoor Nationals

The Soldotna track and field team nabbed medals in three events and… Continue reading

Pitcher Jax Lee is congratulated by catcher Conner Mitchuson after Madisonville (Kentucky) Post 6 won the championship game of the Lance Coz Wood Bat Tournament on Sunday, June 22, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kentucky squad tops Twins for Coz title

Madisonville (Kentucky) Post 6 defeated the Post 20 Twins 2-0 in the… Continue reading

Runners take a Kenai beach access road during the Kenai Summer Solstice Fun Run in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Chamber tries to grow Solstice Fun Run

The event, with 5- and 10-kilometer options, drew 47 runners.

Most Read