FAIRBANKS — The Fairbanks Ice Dogs’ winning streak got a little bit sweeter.
Mark it 16 straight for the Ice Dogs, as they continued their winning ways with a 2-1 victory over the Minot Minotauros in Friday’s series opener in Minot, North Dakota.
With the win, the Ice Dogs improved to 31-5-3-2 for 67 points on the season.
They haven’t lost since Dec. 2, when North American Hockey League Midwest Division rival Kenai River eked out a 3-2 overtime win at the Big Dipper Ice Arena.
Fairbanks improved to 3-0 on its road trip, which included 2-1 victories at Janesville on Jan. 26 and at Coulee Region on Jan. 27.
Although Tanner Schachle and Caleb Hite netted goals for the Ice Dogs on Friday, the defense led the way against the Minotauros.
Minot only managed to test Fairbanks goaltender Josh Benson with 16 shots on goal and couldn’t find the back of the net when it went on the power play eight times.
After Jake Rosenbaum beat Benson to give the Minotauros a 1-0 edge just 2:26 into the contest, Schachle lit the lamp on Fairbanks’ first man-advantage at the 16:17 mark.
Hite broke the tie when he got the best of Minot netminder Samu Lonkila at 17:23 into the second period.
John Stampohar and Erkka Vanska tallied assists on Schachle’s goal, which was the 20th of the season for the Wasilla native and University of Alaska Anchorage commit.
Robert Blueger was credited for a helper on Hite’s 11th goal of the season.
Fairbanks and Minot close out the series at 4:35 p.m. AKST today.
The Ice Dogs will return home and host the Johnstown Tomahawks in a two-game series beginning Friday at the Big Dipper.
Contact News-Miner sports writer Brad Joyal at 459-7530. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMQuest.
