MARSHALL — The Fairbanks Ice Dogs hockey team entered this week with 28 points on the season (13-15-1-1) and a tight battle with their in-state rival, Kenai River (12-14-1-1, 26 points) in the Midwest Division standings of the North American Hockey League. The Ice Dogs and Brown Bears faced off on Tuesday, with Kenai River earning a 6-4 victory to tie Fairbanks in points at 28.

This weekend, the series will continue with a pivotal game at the Red Baron Arena and Expo in Marshall, as the two teams will play today at 7:30 p.m.

During Tuesday’s game, Fairbanks jumped out to an early lead when Owen Neuharth scored just 52 seconds into the game on the assist from Cam Ricotta and Ty Naaykens, but Kenai River answered with a goal 7:40 into the first period to tie things at 1-1. The Brown Bears then got consecutive goals late in the second period to take a 3-1 lead, but Fairbanks responded with a power-play goal from Jacob Conrad on the assist from Neuharth and Bret Link to make it 3-2 after two.

Kenai River would extend its lead quickly in the third, scoring just 15 seconds into the frame before adding a goal 14 minutes later to push its advantage to 5-2. The Ice Dogs then got a goal from Laker Aldridge on the assist from Mason Plante and Billy Renfrew, but Kenai River answered with another goal a minute later to take a 6-3 lead. Plante would score for Fairbanks on the assist from Conrad and Naaykens, but the Ice Dogs couldn’t draw any closer in the 6-4 final.

Kenai River outshot Fairbanks 37-35 on the game. Ryan Keyes recorded 31 saves in net for Fairbanks.

The Ice Dogs have been guided offensively this season by multiple players, with Link leading the team in points at 20 (9 goals, 11 assists) while Austin Becker (9 goals, 8 assists) and Brendan Miles (5 goals, 12 assists) each have 17 points. Aldridge leads the team in goals with 12.

Marshall natives Plante and Kaleb Welvaert have also made contributions, with Plante recording 6 goals and 8 assists and Welvaert adding 2 assists.

Kenai River has been led by Max Helgeson (13 goals, 14 assists) and Peter Morgan (10 goals, 17 assists) with 27 points each while Morgan Winters has 24 points (9 goals, 15 assists) and Adam Szubert has 20 points (4 goals, 16 assists) on the season.

After today’s game, the Brown Bears and the Ice Dogs will have another two-game series next weekend, starting with a matchup on Friday at the Red Baron Area at 7:30 p.m. before they face each other again next Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Breezy Point Hockey Center.