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.
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).
