FAIRBANKS — Suddenly, the Fairbanks Ice Dogs are starting to play defense.rnrnCouple that defense with red-hot goaltender Joe Phillippi, and the Ice Dogs have posted two straight North American Hockey League shutout wins against the Alaska Avalanche.rnrnFriday night the Ice Dogs scored a goal in each period and Phillippi made 21 saves for a 3-0 win.

FAIRBANKS — The Fairbanks Ice Dogs persevered for nearly 57 minutes Thursday night in Wasilla, as they held on for a 1-0 victory over the Alaska Avalanche in a battle between two top teams in the North American Hockey League.

FAIRBANKS — The Fairbanks Ice Dogs dug themselves into another hole they couldn’t get all the way out of as they suffered a 5-3 North American Hockey League loss to the Texas Tornado on Saturday night at the Big Dipper Ice Arena.rnrnPlaying in front of a Military Appreciation Night crowd of 2,238, the Ice Dogs spotted the visitors from Frisco, Texas, a 4-0 lead early in the third period before storming back to cut the deficit to 4-3 with about seven minutes left in the game.

FAIRBANKS — The Fairbanks Ice Dogs have been snakebit in their last four games at the Big Dipper Ice Arena.rnrnThe Dogs haven’t scored more than two goals in a game during that span and have earned just one point in the North American Hockey League standings at home since a three-game series against the Kenai River Brown Bears in mid-January.

FAIRBANKS — James Saintey put the Fairbanks Ice Dogs ahead 2-1 in the second period with his second goal of Saturday night’s North American Hockey League game against the Texas Tornado. rnrnUnfortunately for the Ice Dogs, they couldn’t add to Saintey’s effort and the Tornado went on a roll to claim a 5-2 victory in the finale of the three-game series in Frisco, Texas.

FAIRBANKS — The Fairbanks Ice Dogs went from a high-scoring win on Wednesday to a low-scoring shootout loss on Friday. What tonight’s North American Hockey League rubber match against the Texas Tornado will bring is anybody’s guess.rnrnThe Ice Dogs and Tornado engaged in a defensive struggle on Friday that was scoreless through two periods and ended as a 2-1 shootout triumph for Texas.

FAIRBANKS – Michael Juola took matters into his own hands for the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Wednesday night.rnrnJuola was part of all seven Fairbanks goals as the Ice Dogs won a hard-fought battle in Frisco, Texas, 7-6 in overtime against the Texas Tornado.

Fairbanks forward Kyle Politz put home two goals and an assist as the Ice Dogs skated to a two-game sweep over Wichita Falls. On Friday, the Elko, Minn., native recorded a goal in a 3-2 victory. The next night, the 20-year-old tallied another goal and assisted on Jon Waggoner’s game-winner as the Ice Dogs again bested the Wildcats, 3-2.rn