After falling behind 3-0 in the second period, the Ice Dogs got a goal and an assist each from Sean O’Rourke and JT Osborn, but Fairbanks couldn’t come up with the game-tying goal.
“We were all over them in the third period,” Ice Dogs coach Trevor Stewart said in a telephone interview. “I was surprised the game wasn’t at least 3-3 at the end of regulation.”
The loss dropped the Ice Dogs to 24-10-7 on the season, four points behind the first-place Alaska Avalanche of Palmer and five points ahead of third-place Wenatchee (23-13-4).
The Ice Dogs opened the series in Wenatchee with a 5-0 win Friday night. The momentum didn’t carry over to Saturday night’s contest.
“We had a lot of mental errors and lapses in our game,” Stewart said. “We didn’t play as hard and as smart as we should have.”
Ben Carey gave Wenatchee the lead at 17:21 of the first period. Max McHugh and Shawn Pauly scored in the second for a 3-0 advantage. Pauly’s game-winning goal came on a penalty shot.
The Ice Dogs began their comeback when O’Rourke scored a power-play goal with one minute left in the second period. Osborn and Gabe Levin had assists.
Osborn scored another power-play goal at 4:34 of the third period only to see Wenatchee goalie Greg Lewis slam the door the rest of the way.
Lewis made 21 saves on the night, including eight in the third period.
“The pucks weren’t sitting on our sticks the way they were last night (Friday),” Stewart said. “I don’t want to make excuses because when it comes down to it, you’ve got to get the job done and we didn’t do it.”
Ice Dogs goalie Steve Perry made 28 saves in taking the loss.
Fairbanks went 2 for 7 on the power play and was 5 for 13 on the weekend.
The Ice Dogs continue their four-game road trip with a two-game series Friday and Saturday at the Dawson Creek Rage.
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