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The season will end today for either the Fairbanks Ice Dogs or Topeka RoadRunners.

That’s all there is to it, as the Ice Dogs and RoadRunners play the final game of their best-of-five North American Hockey League playoff series at 1:05 p.m. at the Kansas Expocentre in Topeka, Kan.

“That’s the way we wanted to have it from the beginning,” Fairbanks goaltender Cody Reichard said.

Well, they have their wish then.

The Ice Dogs are no stranger to the pressure, holding off elimination Friday with a 3-1 win in Game 4 in what head coach Rob Proffitt called their best game of the playoffs.

Now, they just have to do it again. And they have plenty of confidence that they can.

“I think this team is built, obviously, on goaltending and defense,” Ice Dogs captain Andrew McCabe said. “When we’re successful on that, it gives everyone confidence. Once you see your teammates go, that gives you the extra jump.”

And, for the most part, the Ice Dogs have been successful on that end. Reichard is allowing just more than two goals per game, and his .937 saves percentage is the best of any goaltender still in the playoffs, and second-best overall.

“When we play like a team, the way the team is designed for, everything’s great,” Reichard said.

Fairbanks’ formula for success — keep it simple, stay efficient.

By not trying to do too much, the Ice Dogs have been able to avoid costly turnovers and odd-man rushes. And with the best defense in the league, the Ice Dogs like their chances when a team’s attacking them head on.

And, of late, they’ve liked their chances on special teams as well.

The Ice Dogs have tallied two power-play goals in each of their last two games and have converted on 17 percent of their chances with the extra attacker in the postseason.

“Coach (Josh) Hauge has done a great job with special teams. He’s taken the ownership of that, and tip your hat, the guys bought in (to his system),” Proffitt said.

Should the Ice Dogs win, they’ll open the Robertson Cup Tournament on Wednesday in St. Louis against the Mahoning Valley Phantoms of Ohio.

But they don’t want to think about the tournament just yet.

“I’m not a big fan of talking about the tournament,” Proffitt said. “I’m a fan of talking about 60 minutes of great hockey (in Game 5).

“I just wish that Alaska Airlines had another plane just sitting around the hangar that could get the 150 fans sitting around the Moose Family Center and bring them down here.”