There was a mixture of expressions — happiness, surprise and  concern among them — on the faces of the Ice Dogs players as they headed into their locker room not long after defenseman Alex Mehnert provided the game-winner with 4.8 seconds left in the five-minute, 3-on-3 overtime. 

“We weren’t happy with our effort (Thursday) but we were happy with the accomplishments that we made this year. So, we feel happy for how our team has progressed, but we weren’t happy about tonight,” said center Ryan Kero, who scored Fairbanks’ first goal and had an assist Thursday.

Kenai River had forced overtime with two goals during the last two minutes of the third period, highlighted by left wing Gunnar Goodmanson’s game-tying deposit with 0.4 showing on the Big Dipper scoreboard.

“We didn’t bear down at the end (of regulation) and take care of the details that need to be taken care of to win hockey games in those situations,” Ice Dogs head coach Trevor Stewart said. 

“Kenai played us hard throughout the game and they deserved that at least a point for sure,” Stewart continued. “We got to be better (today), that’s for sure.”

The Ice Dogs improved to 47-8-3 for 97 points in the standings. Fairbanks clinched the best record in the NAHL this season and it can set a league record for most points in a regular season if they win in today’s and Saturday’s games, which each start at 7:30 p.m.

The Brown Bears, by forcing overtime, gained a point in the standings and moved to 4-49-5 for 13 points.

Today and Saturday’s games also are the last two contests of this season’s Ravn Alaska Cup Series, which Fairbanks leads 14-0-0. 

The Ice Dogs missed ending the overtime period earlier after they didn’t convert a power play, courtesy of Brown Bears forward Evan Butcher’s hooking penalty at 1:29 of OT.

Mehnert’s game-winning shot was born with the defenseman taking a crossing pass from the right circle from right wing Ryner Gorowsky, who had gained the puck from a feed by center Evan Somoza.

Mehnert corralled Gorowsky’s offering, walked with it just inside the left circle and sent a wrist shot between the glove and a pad of Brown Bears goaltender Nicholas Nast.

“Ryner just made a good pass and there was a lot of room,” Mehnert, an Air Force Academy commit, said. “I just turned my toes to the net, saw an opening and fired it home.”

Kenai River had pulled its goaltender for an extra skater before it forced overtime. Goodmanson, with assists from Collin Appleton and Nick Klishko, managed to secure the puck amid heavy traffic in the low slot and he snuck the puck past Ice Dogs goaltender Gavin Nieto with just a wisp before the buzzer sounded.

“Guys not giving up, playing until the last buzzer,” Goodmanson, who also had an assist Thursday, said.

“I think Apps (Appleton) made a good play to get to the net,” Goodmanson continued. “It (puck) got banged around a few times and it just ended up on my stick, and I just whacked it home.”

After a scoreless first period, Kero gave the Ice Dogs a 1-0 lead with his shot from the high slot at 4:51 of the second period. Right wing Cayden Cahill and left wing Liam Stirtzinger had the assists on Kero’s third  goal and 12th point of the season.

Somoza, with help from Kero and defenseman Adam Kleven, put Fairbanks ahead 2-0 by flipping in a backhand at the right side of the crease during a power play at 15:08 of the second.

Joey Sardina stuffed in the puck from the front of the crease at 18:33 of the third for Kenai River’s first goal. Goodmanson and Mike Taormina contributed the assists on Sardina’s team-high 12th goal and 28th point of the season.

Nieto, 33-5-1-0, registered 24 saves Thursday and Nast (2-24-3-1) recorded 40.

Contact sports editor Danny Martin at 459-7586. Follow him on Twitter:@newsminersports.