Anchorage Daily News

Alaska's postseason hopes are toast.

The Alaska Avalanche junior hockey team lost its second consecutive game Saturday night to the Alexandria (Minn.) Blizzard, 6-2, ending any playoff hopes in the North American Hockey League's south division.

Alaska trails the fourth-place Texas Tornado by nine points with four games left to play.

There wasn't much tension Saturday, as Alexandria scored the first four goals to cruise at Menard Memorial Arena before 1,333 fans.

A similar bad stretch at the end of Friday night's game -- three unanswered goals in the third period -- led to a 5-3 loss before 1,043 fans.

"That was a crucial one," Alaska coach and general manager Jamie Smith said after Friday's game. "We had to get that game."

Trailing 2-1, Alaska rallied with two goals in the second period to take the lead. Alex Young converted on a power play, and Michael McCurtain scored unassisted to give the Avs a 3-2 lead.

But defensive turnovers and several fluky goals in the third period gave Alexandria the win.

Mikael Lickteig scored twice in the third period and Brandon Bahnemann also scored for Alexandria.

Former Alaska forward Larry Kincaid scored a first-period goal against his old team. Kincaid, a former Houston High star, then dropped gloves against Avs forward Alex Rasmussen for a drawn-out fight in the second period.

Both players received five-minute fighting major penalties. Kincaid then received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and was ejected for excessive celebration after the fight.

Young finished with a goal and an assist for Alaska. Tyler Currier also scored for the Avs, while Dusan Sidor stopped 36 shots.

Alexandria outshot Alaska 41-31.

ADVERTISEMENT