FAIRBANKS — For the second straight day at the North American Hockey League Showcase, the Fairbanks Ice Dogs held a lead before letting it slip away.
On Friday in Blaine, Minnesota, the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees scored four times in the second period to come away with the win. On Saturday it was the Austin (Minnesota) Bruins who came from behind in the middle frame.
The Bruins, who the Ice Dogs beat in the Robertson Cup final last May, scored five times in the second period and three times in the third to down the Ice Dogs 9-4.
The Ice Dogs were undefeated in four games at last year’s showcase but finish the 2014 showcase with a 1-3 record in four games. Overall on the season the Ice Dogs are 2-3-1.
Drew Michals made 37 stops for the Ice Dogs in net. Jake Kielly made 18 saves for the Bruins, who outshot the Ice Dogs 46-22.
Ethan Somoza and Adam Anderson scored in the first period for the Ice Dogs, who led 2-1 after the first. Chandler Madry extended the lead to 3-1 in the second period with his first goal of the season.
The Ice Dogs went 0 for 4 on the power play while the Bruins were scoreless on five man advantages. The Ice Dogs had been 6 for 17 on the power play during the tournament entering Saturday.
The Bruins, who had nine different players score a goal, went on to score five straight goals in just more than 10 minutes. The Bruins made it seven straight goals with two goals to start the third period.
The Bruins, who improved to 4-0-0 this season, had five players with two points against the Ice Dogs. Brian Bachnak, Landon Letwin, Josh Wilkins and Alex Pettersson each had a goal and an assist. Trevor Boyd had two assists for the Bruins.
Jacob Hetz scored the final goal for Fairbanks midway through the third period.
Hetz was the only Ice Dogs skater to pick up multiple points on the night. He added an assist on Madry’s goal.
Hetz and Madry are tied for the team-lead nine points each. Hetz has scored threee goals with six assists and has picked up at least one point all five games he has played, including two points in three of the game.
Madry has one goal and eight assists. He began the season by picking up multiple points in the first three games before being held pointless by Rio Grande valley on Friday.
Contact sports reporter Tim O’Donnell at 459-7583. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMSportsGuy.
