After nearly two months on the road, the Ice Dogs return to the Big Dipper this weekend for the first time since late November. They host the last-placed Janesville Jets, looking to build momentum after splitting their last two series.
The team enters with a 20-7-3-1 record, sitting third in the Midwest Division with 44 points. Over their last 10 games, they’ve posted a 6-4-0-0 mark and now trail the division-leading Anchorage Wolverines by five points, with three games in hand.
On the other end, Janesville occupies last place with a 8-19-3-3 record so far. They hold 22 points and ride a six game losing streak.
For Fairbanks, their last series saw them shutout and then be shutout against Kenai River, as they opened with a 3-0 win before going goalless for the first time this season in a 2-0 defeat.
They’ve met with Janesville three times prior this season, resulting in two triumphs and a loss, with the most recent contests coming back in October.
The series marks the second straight against current non-playoff teams for the Ice Dogs, as the top spot in the Midwest Division still sits firmly in their sights. They’ll continue that trend during their five-game homestand, as they welcome the fifth-placed Minnesota Wilderness the following week.
Entering the weekend, three teams – Anchorage Wolverines (34 games, 49 points), Wisconsin Windigo (35 games, 49 points) and Fairbanks Ice Dogs (31 games, 44 points) – each sit firmly in the mix for first place.
Despite some recent ups and downs, the Ice Dogs have been solid on both ends, boasting a +37 goal differential with 138 goals scored and 101 allowed, ranking second in the division for that metric
Janesville is on the other end, with a -48 tally, scoring the lowest of the group with 85 and surrendering the most at 133.
Five forwards sit atop the team leaderboard for points. Adam Timm (33), Kyle Rohrer (30), Cole Burke (28), Wyatt Carlson (27), Luca Ricciardi (22) and Ian Norkevicus (20) led the way.
Burke and Ricciardi hold a team-high 12 goals, with Timm rounding out the double-digit scorers with 11. For assists, Timm and Rohrer are tied with 22 each.
Fairbanks’ Charlie Menard continues to be a top goalkeeper in the league. His 1.61 goals allowed average, .939 save percentage and three shutouts all sit at fourth in the NAHL.
The Ice Dogs look to continue their push atop the Midwest Division, with their upcoming games scheduled for 7:30 p.m. start times on Friday and Saturday.
Contact Caleb Jones at (907) 459-7530 or at cjones@newsminer.com.
