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Photo by John Wagner

Photo by John Wagner

Photo by John Wagner

FAIRBANKS — Tyler Bruggeman might have looked a little sporadic, but he said everything was under control.

The Fairbanks Ice Dogs goalie secured his team’s first home win of the season with 40 saves in a 4-1 win over the Wenatchee Wild in a North American Hockey League game Saturday night at the Big Dipper Ice Arena.

“It was just one of those games,” the 18-year-old said with a braces-filled smile. “The ‘D’ made it easy for me — not a lot of shots from the outside. I just had a good night keeping the puck from rebounding.”

In his first game at the Big Dipper, Bruggeman (3-3-1) landed on his back twice while making saves in the second period, fell belly-first onto a shot off his blocker and displayed his wingspan by reaching for a few glove saves. 

“That’s just my style of play,” he said. “I’ll make the save however I can. It doesn’t always look pretty.”

Appearances aside, Bruggeman’s play was effective against the Wild, who are off to the hottest start in the NAHL with a 13-3-0 record that leads the NAHL West. The Ice Dogs (6-5-1) are third in the West.

Bruggeman, Mike Taffe and David Eland are competing for the Ice Dogs’ starting job between the pipes.

Fairbanks broke a four-game losing streak against the Wild and bounced back from a 4-1 defeat Friday.

“It was huge,” forward James Saintey said of the win. “It gave us momentum for this three-game series. We can play 60 minutes and put it to ’em.”

After Mitch Torrel put Wenatchee ahead 1-0 with a goal midway through the first period, Fairbanks regained a winning record with a three-goal second period.

Defenseman Josh Nelson got Fairbanks on the scoreboard with a blueline shot at the same moment that an Ice Dogs power play expired.

The goal with tied things up at 1 with 15 minutes, 4 seconds left in the second period.

Forward Matt Millis gave Fairbanks the lead with a shot from the right circle through Wenatchee goalie Mac Carruth’s five-hole with 13:44 remaining in the second.

Brandon Jaeger replaced Carruth after Millis’ score.

The Ice Dogs were up 3-1 at the second intermission from a James Saintey score with 1:48 to go off a pass across the crease from Johan Skinnars.

“We got in the goalies’ heads and (the goals) just kept coming — flowing like a river,” Saintey said.

Jared Larson notched the Ice Dogs’ fourth goal off a Nelson rebound with 2:48 remaining in the game.

Ice Dogs coach Josh Hauge said the second period made up for a flat start, and the victory apparently gave him the gusto to make an optimistic prediction. 

“If we ever figure it out, it could be the best team we ever put on the ice,” he said. “… I really think that. It’s not here (yet), but we have the components and the talent.”

The Ice Dogs will try to back up that praise this afternoon at 3:30 against the Wild in the deciding game of the weekend series.

Contact staff writer Joshua Armstrong at 459-7583.