Springfield- The Fairbanks Ice Dogs won closed out 2022 with a sweep of the Janesville Jets, followed by a New Years Eve win against Chippewa. They continued the hot play into the new year, sweeping the Springfield Jr. Blues by scores of 4-2 on Friday and 2-1 on Saturday. With the sweep, the Dogs take a one-point lead over the Minnesota Wilderness for first place in the NAHL Midwest Division. However, they trail Minnesota by .06 of a win percentage point. That is key because that slim lead in win percentage will send five Minnesota Wilderness players to the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, while the Ice Dogs will only send four.
Colin Goff earned the Top Gun honor following Saturday’s game
Justin Biraben netted a hat trick to lead Fairbanks to a 4-2 win over the Jr. Blues on Friday. Julian Recine and Billy Renfrew each had a pair of assists, while McCabe Dvorak added the other goal for the Ice Dogs. Kayden Hargraves picked up the win in between the pipes as he made 24 saves. Carson Dorfman was saddled with the loss as he stopped 23 of 26 shots.
The Fairbanks Ice Dogs doubled up the Springfield Jr. Blues 2-1 on Saturday night to secure the series sweep. Colin Goff netted his eighth of the season in the opening frame to put Fairbanks ahead 1-0. Tyler Herzberg scored his eighth of the year to extend the Ice Dogs advantage to 2-1, with the assists going to Jack Thomas and Brady Welsch. Hargraves finished the night with 28 saves to pick up his 16th win in the blue paint for the Ice Dogs this season.
The Dogs now head home for their first games of 2023 in the Big Dipper Ice Arena. It’s a 5-game home stand, beginning with a return to Alaska Airlines Club 49 Cup play as the Ice Dogs welcome the Kenai River Brown Bears to the Dip for the first time this season. The series presents an opportunity for the Dogs to gain on the Anchorage Wolverines who hold an 8-point advantage over the Dogs in the race for the Club 49 Cup title.
The Ice Dogs host the Wisconsin Windigo the following weekend, in the annual Stick it to Cancer 3-game series. Partnering with the Greater Fairbanks Community Hospital Foundation, the Ice Dogs will honor survivors while raising cancer awareness and funding for the Circle of Hope Campaign, which supports cancer programs in the Interior. The team will wear special Stick it to Cancer uniforms that will be auctioned off during the series.
