FAIRBANKS- Hockey Week in Fairbanks kicks off Friday night as the Ice Dogs host the Corpus Christi Ice Rays in the opener of a two game series at the Big Dipper Ice Arena. Hockey Week officially begins with the unveiling of the annual ice sculpture outside of the Dip. Saturday events at the Dipper include the Hockey Extravaganza, as well as a host of 3-on-3 games, including the Guns and Hoses match, and the Alumni Game that features former Ice Dogs, Gold Kings and Alaska Nanooks players.
Also Saturday, the Fairbanks Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony. A pair of Ice Dogs alums in Tayler Munson and Justin Woods will be enshrined in the College Hockey Honor Roll during the ceremony. Both players skated for the Alaska Nanooks following their Ice Dogs careers.
The current Ice Dogs held second place in the NAHL Midwest Division through their bye weekend, and remain eight points back of the division leading Minnesota Magicians. The Dogs go outside of their division this weekend, facing an Ice Ray squad that sits fourth in the always competitive South Division. Corpus Christi leads the NAHL with 1,009 penalty minutes, the only team in the league with quadruple digit PIMS.
Rookie Jonny Sorenson continues to lead the Dogs with 36 points off 11 goals and 25 assists this season. Jack Johnston (33) and Jax Murray (31) sit second and third in points respectively. Rookie net minder Nate Reid ranks 8th in the NAHL with a 2.22 goals against average, and a .911 save percentage.
