FAIRBANKS – The Fairbanks Ice Dogs\’ five-game slide came to a screeching halt Friday night in Texas.
The Ice Dogs, 0-4-1 in their last five games, fell behind 2-0 before rallying to claim a 3-2 North American Hockey League victory against the Wichita Falls Wildcats in front of 2,014 fans at the Kay Yeagar Coliseum.
It was the Ice Dogs\’ (25-16-2) first victory since a 5-4 win against the Alaska Avalanche on Jan. 9 at the Big Dipper Ice Arena.
After a tight first period in which the Wildcats outshot the Ice Dogs 6-4, the game heated up in the second as all five goals were scored.
The Wildcats (12-24-5) popped in two goals in the first five minutes of the second. Kyle Gallegos accounted for both goals and Zach Ledford set up both scores.
At that point, it looked like the Dogs were headed for another road loss, but the tide began to turn when Kyle Politz knocked home a power-play goal at 11:22 off an assist from Michael Juola.
The two youngest Ice Dogs, North Pole\’s Jared Linnell and Fairbanks\’ Taylor Munson, teamed up with Alec Doig to tie the game at the 13:22 mark. Linnell scored the goal, with Munson and Doig earning assists.
The Ice Dogs went ahead for good when Juola lit the lamp off an assist from Doig at 17:49 of the second period.
The Ice Dogs outshot the Wildcats 15-9 in the second then withstood a 12-4 advantage in shots in the third by the Wildcats.
Joe Phillippi got the call in goal for the Ice Dogs and finished with 25 saves.
Wichita Falls goalie Kelly Andrew made 20 saves before being pulled for an extra attacker with 26 seconds remaining.
The Ice Dogs went 1 for 7 on the power play, while Wichita Falls was 1 for 4.
The two teams meet again tonight in Wichita Falls. Then the Ice Dogs head to Frisco, Tex., where they will open a three-game series against the Texas Tornado on Feb. 3.
Contact the News-Miner sports department at 459-7581.
Joe Phillippi got the call in goal for the Ice Dogs and finished with 25 saves.
Wichita Falls goalie Kelly Andrew made 20 saves before being pulled for an extra attacker with 26 seconds remaining.
The Ice Dogs went 1 for 7 on the power play, while Wichita Falls was 1 for 4.
The two teams meet again tonight in Wichita Falls. Then the Ice Dogs head to Frisco, Tex., where they will open a three-game series against the Texas Tornado on Feb. 3.
Contact the News-Miner sports department at 459-7581.
