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Photo by John Wagner

Kenai River gave everything they had Saturday night at the Big Dipper Ice Arena after a intense game that ended with a thrilling shootout and a 4-3 victory for the Brown Bears over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs.

Even though it took Kenai River the entire season to earn a win over the Ice Dogs, head coach Mike Flanagan was pleased with his team’s performance.

“Everyone stepped up and played more today than they have before,” Flanagan said. “It was a great way to end the season.”

It was also a lost opportunity for the Ice Dogs to move into sole possession of second place in the North American Hockey League’s South Division. However, the one point earned for an overtime loss moves Fairbanks into a tie for second with rival Wichita Falls with 78 points. Topeka remains in first with 82 points.

Going 11 games without a win against an in-state rival will leave any hockey team hungry. And the Brown Bears’ appetite brought them the first goal of the game at 10:04 by Dan Christianson, who snuck past Ice Dogs goaltender Cody Reichard and slipped the puck over his right shoulder and into the net.

Paul Kirtland of the Ice Dogs returned the favor shortly thereafter shooting the puck over the ducked head of Kenai’s goalie Matt Wichorek at 13:29 to tie the score at 1-1 heading into the second period.

That’s when Kenai really got hungry.

Kenai’s Nick Simson, with assists from Jake Musselman and Tony McDonald, took advantage of the powerplay and took back the lead at 4:29.

Taking a second helping of goals for Kenai at 15:32 was Adam Krefski, who took advantage of a crowded crease to shoot the puck past a distracted Reichard.

“I just came around the net and did a wraparound and took the shot,” Krefski said. This was Krefski’s final game of his hockey career so coming away with a goal and a win felt pretty good for the Michigan native.

Despite the 13 shots by Fairbanks in the second period and 58 for the night, Kenai goal tender Wichorek just wasn’t giving any ground. He recorded an amazing 55 saves.

“I knew we were going to take our first win against Fairbanks,” Wichorek said.

But just when Kenai (12-38-8) was tasting a win, the Ice Dogs came back in the third period a little agitated and ready for a dog fight.

“Going into the third we knew they were going to throw everything they had at us, including the kitchen sink,” Flanagan said. “We just tried to stay focused on the task at hand and to make hits. I give credit to Rob (Proffitt) and his team.”

Trailing 3-1, the Ice Dogs woke up and got back in the game with the help of Alex McRae at 9:21. He took advantage of an open shot over a stumbling Wichorek.

Andrew McCabe then tied the score and relieved the tension at 13:26 after a series of passes by the Ice Dogs. But from that moment both teams were skating on thin ice and Reichard took a few beatings from the Brown Bears when he sacrificed his body on three straight saves. Reichard earned 15 saves in the third period (and 51 saves for the evening), carrying his team into sudden-death overtime. And when overtime didn’t cut it, both teams ran full speed into a shootout.

That’s when things really heated up, bringing nearly all of the 1,942 fans to their feet.

But Kenai River managed to hang on to a 2-1 lead after Arthur Bidwill and Erik Kraft were stopped by Wichorek. Andrew McCabe had the final shot but it clanged off the left post. Initially the goal judge turned on the red light signifying a goal, but after the referees talked with the goal judge, the shot was ruled no good.

“I was so nervous when that goal hit the post but somehow we won,” Wichorek said.

Word is that the goal judge ducked out quickly after the game to escape the wrath of bitter fans and Proffitt.

The Ice Dogs (37-15-4) now have two games remaining against the Alaska Avalanche next weekend at the Big Dipper in their final home series of the season before heading into the playoffs.