Wild leave Fairbanks with only three points

FAIRBANKS, Alaska - The Wenatchee Wild battled back from two 2-goal deficits Sunday to force overtime only to see the Fairbanks Ice Dogs capture a 5-4 victory in a sudden death shootout round at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks, Alaska. In spite of the loss, the Wild were able to secure three points during their 3-game weekend series against the Ice Dogs.

Jakob Romo staked the Ice Dogs to a 1-0 lead 2:23 into Sunday's contest when he scored on his backhand from right in front of the Wild cage. Logan Wendling and Jacob Hetz assisted. 

Fairbanks maintained its 1-0 lead through the first period. The second stanza was a free-for-all with the two teams combining for six goals. 

Jono Davis (La Verne, Calif.) tied up the score 46 seconds into the second period when he notched his 10th goal of the season on a rocket shot from the point during a power play. Noah Nelson (Oconomowoc, Wis.) and Josh Hartley (Coquitlam, Canada), who committed to Dartmouth University last week, picked up the assists. 

Fairbanks came right back, taking a 3-1 lead on even-strength markers by Brett Gervais and Doug Rose, to seemingly take control of the game. But as they have proved time and time again this season, the Wild were capable of coming back. 

During another man-advantage, Blake Roubos (Niagara Falls, Ontario) collected a shot off the end boards by Nathan Flynn (Hastings, Minn.) and tapped it into the near side of the cage to cut Fairbanks' lead back to 3-2 with 7:13 remaining in the second period. Davis also assisted on the sequence for his second point of the game. 

Kyle Lee reclaimed the Ice Dogs' 2-goal lead 45 seconds after Roubos scored when he finished off a 3-on-2 situation. Garret Clemment and Patrick Newell earned the assists. 

Davis responded with his second power-play goal and third point of the game with 3:11 left before the second intermission when he scored on another slapper from the point. Flynn and Max McHugh (Edgewood, Wash.) assisted. 

Roubos scored the only goal of the third period to force overtime when he knocked in a loose puck in front of the Fairbanks net. Derick Kuchera (Eagan, Minn.) earned the lone assist. 

The game went to a shootout after a scoreless overtime session. 

Roubos was the first shooter in the shootout and, although he lost control of the puck on his way to the net, he managed to score and put the Wild ahead. Kyle Lee, Fairbanks' second shooter, tied up the shootout with a 5-hole shot. McHugh, Wenatchee's fifth shooter, had the Wild on the cusp of a win when he scored on a high, stick-side shot. But Clemment forced the shootout into sudden death for the Ice Dogs, who secured the win on Newell's score. 

Evan McCarthy (Castle Rock, Col.) and Robert Nichols (Dallas, Texas) combined for 18 saves on 22 shots for the Wild. Kevin Aldridge made 27 saves on 31 shots to earn the win for the Ice Dogs. Wenatchee scored three crucial power-play goals on four chances while Fairbanks went 0-for-3 on its man-advantages. 

Davis led the Wild with three points (2G, 1A) while Roubos scored two goals. Flynn added two assists. Newell recorded two assists for the Ice Dogs. 

If this past weekend was any indication, this year's Wenatchee-Fairbanks rivalry could be the best yet. On Friday, Fairbanks scored three late goals in the third period to earn a 5-3 victory. On Saturday, the Wild scored two unanswered third-period goals to earn a 3-2 win.