CLOQUET, MINN- The Fairbanks Ice Dogs are headed back to Alaska, where they will remain through the completion of the NAHL regular season. The Dogs went 1-1 over their final weekend in the Lower 48, winning 4-2 over the Steel in Chippewa on Friday, before falling 7-5 to the Minnesota Wilderness on Saturday. Meanwhile the Springfield Jr. Blues swept a 3-game home series against the Anchorage Wolverines to usurp the Ice Dogs for the top spot in the NAHL Midwest Division.

Braden Lindstrom, whom the Dogs acquired Feb. 2 struck for a pair of goals against his former team in Chippewa Friday night. The Dogs built a 3-0 lead after one period of play off goals from Billie Renfrew, Lindstrom and Jack Ring. The Steel potted a pair in the second, with Lindstrom accounting for the third-period insurance in the 4-2 Ice Dogs win. Tyler Krivtsov recorded 27 saves to collect his 12th win of the season.

Fellow newcomer Kevin Marx Noren potted a pair of goals for the Dogs, who made the trip north to Cloquet on Saturday. The Dogs held a 5-4 lead after 40 minutes of play, as Love Bergval, Tyler Herzberg and Alexander Malinowski added goals for the Dogs. However, the ice tilted toward the Wilderness, as the home squad outscored the visitors 3-0 in the final frame to claim the 5-7 win.

Springfield and Fairbanks remain separated from the rest of the Midwest Division field. The Jr. Blues are 3 points up on the Ice Dogs with 61, while holding three games in hand over the Dogs. The Wolverines are 11 points back of Fairbanks with 47 to lead a logjam of five midwest teams separated by just 7 points in the standings.

The Ice Dogs have 15 games remaining on their schedule, nine of which will be played in the friendly confines of the Big Dipper Ice Arena, including the 3-game Stick it to Cancer series against the Minnesota Magicians Thursday – Saturday  of this week. The Dogs travel twice to the Kenai Peninsula and once to Anchorage to play the six road games remaining on their regular season schedule. View ticket options for the remaining home here.

Dog Bites

• Alexander Malinowski leads Dogs & ranks second in NAHL with 22-34-56 scoring line

• Kevin Marx Noren ranks second in NAHL with 23 power play points

• Camden Shasby ranks fourth in the NAHL with +25 rating (leads all rookies)

• Van Noren ranks 9th among rookies with 33 points

• Jack Ring current 10-game home point streak

• Tyler Stewart/Malinowski current  9-game home point streak

• Ice Dogs lead NAHL with 185 (4.11 per game) goals

• Ice Dog power play ranks 4th in NAHL (24.6%), penalty kill (84.5%) ranks 7th in NAHL