The visiting Kenai River Brown Bears lost 3-2 to the Wisconsin Windigo on Saturday in North American Hockey League play.
With the two-game sweep, the Windigo improve to 22-8-1-2 and are in first place in the Midwest Division with 47 points.
The Bears, at 12-18-1-2, are in seventh place with 27 points. The Springfield (Illinois) Jr. Blues control the fourth and final playoff spot in the Midwest with 36 points.
“There’s a lot of games left, so we just have to stay after it,” Kenai River head coach Taylor Shaw said. “We’re still in the playoff hunt.
“A couple good weekends going away, and we’re right in.”
Friday and Saturday, Jan. 10 and 11, the Bears host the Fairbanks Ice Dogs at 7:30 p.m. at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Saturday, Logan Nickolaus scored short-handed in the first period for the Windigo, but John Ross, assisted by Jack Clarke and Carter McCormick, answered right back on the power play.
Ross had his first goal in 66 games with the Bears on Friday before scoring again Saturday.
“He finally got one last night, then he gets another one today,” Shaw said. “It’s pretty cool to have the first and second goal on the same weekend.”
In the second period, Luke Baker pushed the Windigo ahead, but Michael Fiedorczuk, assisted by Dario Lass and McCormick, had the Bears even headed to the third period.
With 12:15 to play, Nickolaus notched the game-winner for Wisconsin.
“Even there late after they scored to make it 3-2, we had looks on the power play to get us another power-play goal tonight,” Shaw said. “We couldn’t buy one.”
The Bears won the shot column, with Beau Altman making 24 saves for the Windigo and Owen Zenone stopping 19 for Kenai River.
Saturday
Windigo 3, Brown Bears 2
Ken 1 1 0 —2
Wis 1 1 1 —3
First period — 1. Wisconsin, Nickolaus (Cline, Frey), sh, 8:55; 2. Kenai River, Ross (Clarke, McCormick), pp, 9:33. Penalties — Kenai River 3 for 6:00; Wisconsin 3 for 6:00.
Second period — 3. Wisconsin, Baker (Hill, Georgaklis), 2:00; 4. Kenai River, Fiedorczuk (Lass, McCormick), 12:59. Penalties — Kenai River 3 for 6:00.
Third period — 5. Wisconsin, Nickolaus (Haibock, Frey), 7:45. Penalties — Kenai River 1 for 2:00; Wisconsin 2 for 4:00.
Shots on goal — Kenai River 7-9-10—26; Wisconsin 5-9-8—22.
Goalies — Kenai River, Zenone (22 shots, 19 saves); Wisconsin, Altman (26 shots, 24 saves).
