Ice Dogs and Wolverines set to clash in series between two of the Midwest Division’s best
By Caleb Jones
The Ice Dogs (11-3-1-2) and Anchorage Wolverines (16-4-1-0) are playing at a high level. The in-state rivals are among the best in the Midwest Division and will face each in Fairbanks on Friday and Saturday for their second series this season.
The Wolverines currently lead the division with 33 points through 21 games played. Fairbanks has played the fewest of the eight Midwest teams with 17 contests, yet still holds 25 points, putting them in fourth and trending towards higher spots.
“I think the biggest thing for us is to focus on our team and stay focused on that rather than any outside noise,” Ice Dogs head coach Ryan Theros said of the upcoming games. “Everyone knows what it is – the rivalry and Alaska Airlines Club 49 Cup, they’re obviously really important to us. We talk about [the importance], but then you try to not let that outside noise take over… we’re focused on doing our job for the team and the logo.”
The two teams have met twice this year, with both having a win. It served as part of a four-series stretch where Fairbanks split against their foes, which they recently snapped against Kenai River last time out with regulation and shootout victories.
“Over the past couple series where we split, we felt that we didn’t play as well on Saturdays as we needed to in order to win,” Theros said. “We felt like we didn’t need to get into [the shootout] situation to begin with, but the guys really stuck together and talked about it in the locker room and on the bench – we were tired of splitting the weekends, and the guys really stayed focused on getting the two points in that game.”
In the series against Kenai River, a major factor in Fairbanks’ success was special teams. The Ice Dogs scored four times on the power play with another while short-handed.
“We need to get our special teams up, as far as percentage- wise,” Theros said. “Come playoffs and things like that, those will be crucial settings that we need to produce. The guys don’t want to wait, we don’t want to wait, and it’s just trying to find the right personnel on each of them. It worked out really well for us last weekend, so we’ll just keep chipping away at it.”
Heading into the games against Anchorage, Adam Timm leads the Ice Dogs in points and goals with 20 and nine, respectively. His 11 assists also see him tied for second in that category.
Luca Ricciardi (right) and Blake Markwell (left) battle it out in a game between the Ice Dogs and Wolverines.
COURTESY OF KRISTEN PEARSON
