JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN- The Fairbanks Ice Dogs entered the final game of 2020 winless on the season. They closed the year our with a win, and opened 2021 with a pair of victories to complete the 3-game series sweep of the Janesville Jets.
The Ice Dogs posted wins of 4-2, 4-2 and 5-4 (OT) over the host Jets, who lead the NAHL Midwest division with 10 points on the season. The Dogs climb into the race, earning their first six points of the season to ascend into a tie with the the Kenai River Brown Bears for second place in the division.
“Our guys competed extremely well all weekend,” said Ice Dogs Head Coach Trevor Stewart. “We need to continue to build our identity through the month of January and into the second half of the season.”
A 3-goal weekend for Laker Aldridge, while Anchorage native Bret Link led the Dogs with six points off two goals and four assists in the three games. Fairbanks product Billy Renfrew had a breakout debut with the Dogs, notching two points off a goal and an assist in the sweep. Fellow golden heart boy Nick Ostbloom found the back of net for the first time this season, while Fairbanksan Ryan Keyes stopped 33 shots to earn his first win in net as an Ice Dog in Saturday’s OT win.
A short week of preparation for the Dogs, as they face the Minnesota Magicians in a 2-game series Jan. 7-8. The games will be played in Hudson, WI due to the restrictions on hockey imposed by the state of Minnesota. The Jan. 7 game will begin at 1 p.m. CST, or 10 a.m. in Alaska.
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