Chill win in Fairbanks on Thursday, 4-2
Coulee Region Chill 4 @ Fairbanks Ice Dogs 2 – Two goals from Mac Jansen helped the Coulee Region Chill snap a two-game slide with a 4-2 win in Fairbanks and improve to 6-3-0 in the Midwest Division, while the Ice Dogs fell to 8-3-0.
In the only game in the NAHL on Thursday night, it was the Chill who came out firing on all cylinders. Eddie Matsushima scored the game’s first goal just 2:40 into the game with an assist to Adam Lovick. Two minutes later, Gordon Wells made it 2-0 with assists to Brogan Rafferty and Sean Kalbak. Kalbak and Wells are former members of the Fresno Monsters and had extensive experience playing in the hostile environment that is the Big Dipper Ice Arena.
Towards the end of the 1st period, Jansen got his first goal of the night on a breakaway that went through the five-hole of Fairbanks goaltender Kevin Aldridge. James McGing and Matsushima assisted on the goal that stretched the Chill lead to 3-0. Fairbanks got on the board with just :14 seconds remaining in the period as Doug Rose had his shot blocked from the point, only to see the rebound go to Brett Gervais, who passed to Lonnie Clary for a shot that beat a sprawled Adam Carlson to make it 3-1.
Colton Wolter made it 3-2 towards the end of the 2nd period on a 2 on 1, give and go play with linemate Kyle Lee, but the Chill answered back to make it 4-2 on Jansen’s second goal of the game, which was a rocket from the high slot that beat Aldridge over the shoulder. Neither team was able to score in the 3rd period.
Carlson, the NAHL Goaltender of the Month for September, was solid between the pipes, making 38 saves on 40 Fairbanks shots. Aldridge made 21 saves in the losing effort. The game featured just five minor penalties.
