In their first set of games in Alaska, the Jets (3-10-0-1) were unable to muster a win against the Anchorage Wolverines and were swept to bring their losing streak to four games. This weekend’s series features a more challenging matchup against the Midwest Division’s top team in the Fairbanks Ice Dogs (11-4-0-1), who have won seven of their last nine games.
Rookie defenseman Grayden Daul led the way in scoring last weekend with the only two goals in Friday’s game and an assist on Saturday. The Chicago native has five points in his previous four games and has inserted himself into the top ten alongside Will Troutwine in scoring for defensemen in the league.
This weekend’s games will be the second series between the two, the first one just over a month ago on Sept 23/24, where the Jets stole the opening game 3-2, only for the Ice Dogs to return the favor with a 4-3 shootout victory.
Ice Dogs goaltender Kayden Hargraves has started 10 of the team’s 16 games this season. His 2.04 goals-against average and .929 save percentage are both fourth-best in the NAHL. Offensively, Fairbanks is led by forward Alexander Malinowski, who has been one of the league’s top scorers this season. The Swed’s 22 points in 16 games (8-14) puts him at a tie for third in league scoring, and if that wasn’t enough, he’s recorded eight points in his last four games.
Special teams have been a sore spot for the Jets, with the league’s worst penalty kill at 55% and 22nd-ranked power play at 22%. The Wolverines cashed in on four power plays last weekend, and scored a shorthanded goal to top it off. Going into a series against the league’s second-best power play unit, the Jets will have a tall task in front of them when it comes to limiting opportunities for Fairbanks.
The first of three games starts tonight at 10 pm CT, followed by games Friday and Saturday night that will begin half an hour later at 10:30 CT. If you still have caffeinated liquids leftover from last weekend and wish to follow along, you can catch the action on HockeyTV or follow live updates on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
#WheelsUp✈️
JANESVILLE JETS
Record: 3-10-0-1 (7th, Midwest)
Road Record: 2-8-0-0
Goals For/Game: 3.14 (16th)
Goals Against/Game: 4.71 (29th)
Shots For/Game: 28.93 (22nd)
Shots Against/Game: 28.29 (8th)
Power Play: 13% (22nd)
Penalty Kill: 54.9% (29th)
Top Scorers: F Jan Lasak (13GP—7G-6A—13PTS); F William Gustavsson (14GP—4G-9A—13PTS); F Cy LeClerc (14GP—8G-4A—12PTS)
Goaltenders: Owen Millward (3-2-0-0; 4.28 GAA; .848 SV%); Michael D’Orazio (0-5-0-1; 4.26 GAA; .852 SV%); Ryan Whittaker (0-1-0-0; 6.00 GAA; .778 SV%)
Rostered Commitments: F Keaton Peters (Northern Michigan); F Robby Newton (Wisconsin); F Grayden Daul (Wisconsin); F Jonah Aegerter (St. Cloud State)
FAIRBANKS ICE DOGS
Record: 11-4-0-1 (1st, Midwest)
Home Record: 5-3-0-0
Goals For/Game: 4.00 (3rd)
Goals Against/Game: 2.56 (6th)
Shots For/Game: 31.56 (12th)
Shots Against/Game: 28.69 (10th)
Power Play: 28.6% (2nd)
Penalty Kill: 85% (12th)
Top Scorers: F Alexander Malinowski (16GP—8G-14A—22PTS); F Billy Renfrew (16GP—11G-4A—15PTS); F Owen Neuharth (16GP—3G-10A—13PTS)
Goaltenders: Kayden Hargraves (8-1-0-1; 2.04 GAA; .929 SV%); Tyler Krivtsov (3-2-0-0; 2.76 GAA; .894 SV%)
Rostered Commitments: D Brendan Miles (University of Michigan); F Owen Neuharth (Colgate University); F Nicholas Ostbloom (University of Alaska-Fairbanks)
