Fairbanks, Alaska | 3/18/22 | Isaac Smoldon
The Anchorage Wolverines secured two points Friday, as the Midwest division standings continue to tighten. Three Wolverines recorded two points in the contest, and Shane Soderwall made 27 saves in the 4-2 win against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs. The two teams play again on Saturday in Fairbanks, with Anchorage looking to sweep the Ice Dogs, who remain the first-place team in the Midwest.
The Wolverines controlled the 1st period, outshooting Fairbanks 16-6, and scoring halfway through the opening frame to take the lead. The goal came from Bohdan Panasenko, with Matt Johnson and Jackson Krock both picking up assists. Shane Soderwall remained perfect through the 1st, making six saves to give Anchorage a 1-0 advantage heading into the 2nd.
The Wolverines continued their dominance in the middle frame, scoring two goals early in the 2nd. Cooper Morris scored his first regular season goal at the 3:37 mark, followed by Colton Friesen picking up an unassisted tally three minutes later. Anchorage nearly carried the three-goal lead into the 3rd, but a late goal from Tyler Stewart made the score 3-1 after 40 minutes of play.
Matt Johnson helped the Wolverines keep the game out of reach for the Ice Dogs, scoring halfway through the 3rd to give Anchorage the three-goal lead back. A late goal from Fairbanks wouldn’t generate enough momentum for the home team to comeback, and the Wolverines won by a final score of 4-2. Soderwall made 27 saves on 29 shots in a strong performance, while Fairbanks’s goalie Kayden Hargraves stopped 26 of 30.
Anchorage now leads Fairbanks by a point in the Club 49 Cup standings, and remains in fourth place in the Midwest division. The Wolverines and Ice Dogs play again Saturday night in Fairbanks, with puck drop at 7:30 PM AKST.
