Avs use power play to top Bears
By Staff Report | Peninsula Clarion
The Alaska Avalanche of Wasilla netted three power-play goals to lift them to a 4-3 win over the visiting Kenai River Brown Bears on Thursday in North American Hockey League action.
Alaska (21-13-6) is in third place in the West Division and trails second-place Fairbanks by eight points. Kenai River (10-29-2) is in last in the West.
Alaska\’s Kyle Pichler started the scoring off. He scored a power-play goal midway through the first period. Kenai River answered back with a power-play goal of its own.
Brett Lubanski notched the tally with under three minutes to play in the first.
The Avs regained the lead after Jake Parenteau put a power-play goal past Kenai River net minder Dainis Vasiljevs in the second period. Parenteau\’s goal was the only one in the second.
The Avs and Brown Bears scored two goals apiece in the final period.
Alaska struck first. Jake Williams netted a power-play goal nine minutes into the period. Kenai River\’s Jesse Ramsey scored six and a half minutes later, bringing the score to 3-2 in Alaska\’s favor.
The Avs went back up by two after Blake Huppert scored a minute and a half after Ramsey.
Kenai River\’s Doug Beck scored a minute later to bring the Brown Bears within one. Kenai River pulled its goalie late in the game but couldn\’t score with the extra attacker.
Vasiljevs turned away 32 of the 36 shots he faced. Avs net minder Kale Robertson stopped 27 of the 30 shots he faced.
Parenteau led Alaska with three points and a plus-1 rating. Johan Skinnars tallied two points on the night and Derek Bayagich was plus-2 for the Brown Bears.
Skinnars has 14 points in 11 games played with Kenai River.
The Brown Bears face off against the Avs today and Saturday at 7 p.m. in Wasilla.
