Kenai River Brown Bears forward Max Helgeson chases the puck along the boards against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Max Helgeson chases the puck along the boards against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Ice Dogs sweep Brown Bears

The Fairbanks Ice Dogs topped the Kenai River Brown Bears on Friday and Saturday in North American Hockey League play in Minnesota.

The Ice Dogs won 4-3 at Red Baron Arena on Friday and 4-2 at Breezy Point Hockey Center on Saturday.

The Ice Dogs are 16-16-1-1 and in third in the Midwest Division, while the Bears are 13-17-1-1 and in fourth.

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

In Friday’s loss, the Bears fell into a 2-0 hole before Theo Thrun struck on the power play with 16:45 left in the second period for a 2-1 game. Fairbanks went up 3-1, but a power-play goal by Morgan Winters cut it to 3-2 headed to the third.

Fairbanks scored first in the third, and it was not until 6 seconds were left that Peter Morgan cut it to 4-3.

Kayden Hargraves had 29 saves for the Ice Dogs, while Andrew Rose stopped 28 for the Bears.

Saturday, Fairbanks again jumped out front, but Brandon Lajoie of Eagle River tied it before Fairbanks took a 2-1 lead into the second period.

Lucas Wahlin scored on the power play to knot the game headed to the third.

Fairbanks went ahead with 9:54 left, then iced it with a short-handed goal with 46 seconds left.

Ryan Keyes stopped 23 for Fairbanks, while Luke Pavicich had 42 saves for the Bears.

Friday

Ice Dogs 4, Brown Bears 3

Kenai River 0 2 1 —3

Fairbanks 1 2 1 —4

First period — 1. Fairbanks, Murray (Renfrew, Murphy), 5:23. Penalties — Fairbanks 2 for 4:00.

Second period — 2. Fairbanks, Link (un.), sh, 2:55; 3. Kenai River, Thrun (Veri, Lajoie), pp, 3:15; 4. Fairbanks, Neuharth (Lester, Naaykens), sh, 15:28; 5. Kenai River, Winters (Dodge, Helgeson), pp, 16:02. Penalties — Kenai River 1 for 2:00; Fairbanks 2 for 4:00.

Third period — 6. Fairbanks, Ring (Hale), 3:32; 7. Kenai River, Morgan (Veri, Thrun), 19:54. Penalties — Fairbanks 5 for 21:00; Kenai River 6 for 44:00.

Shots on goal — Kenai River 11-11-10—32; Fairbanks 13-9-10—32.

Goalies — Kenai River, Rose (32 shots, 28 saves); Fairbanks, Hargraves (32 shots, 29 saves).

Saturday

Ice Dogs 4, Brown Bears 2

Fairbanks 2 0 2 —4

Kenai River 1 1 0 —2

First period — 1. Fairbanks, Becker (Herzberg, Link), 8:52; 2. Kenai River, Lajoie (Szubert, Helgeson), 12:22; 3. Fairbanks, Link (Becker), pp, 19:19. Penalties — Kenai River 2 for 4:00.

Second period — 4. Kenai River, Wahlin (Helgeson, Szubert), pp, 14:49. Penalties — Fairbanks 1 for 2:00; Kenai River 1 for 2:00.

Third period — 5. Fairbanks, Garby (un.), 12:06; 6. Fairbanks, Link (un.), sh, 19:14. Penalties — Fairbanks 1 for 2:00.

Shots on goal — Fairbanks 15-15-16—46; Kenai River 9-8-8—25.

Goalies — Fairbanks, Keyes (25 shots, 23 saves); Kenai River, Pavicich (46 shots, 42 saves).

More in Sports

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.

tease
Twins, Kentucky squad to play for Coz Wood Bat title on Sunday

The American Legion Post 20 Twins and Madisonville (Kentucky) Post 6 will… Continue reading

Clyde Clemens of the Post 20 Twins swings through a hit pitch Friday, June 20, 2025, in the Lance Coz Wood Bat Tournament at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Wood Bat tourney carries on legacy of Coz

From 1975 until his death in 2020, former Twins manager and head… Continue reading

tease
Results posted for Celebrate Life! 5K

ABC Life Choices held the Celebrate Life! 5-kilometer run Saturday, June 14,… Continue reading

Most Read