Alaska Aces Win Brabham Cup With Second-Highest Point Total In ECHL History

Published on April 8, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release

PRINCETON, N.J. - Scoring three goals in the third period, the Alaska Aces won 6-3 at Fresno on Friday to improve to 113 points and clinch the Brabham Cup, the trophy awarded annually to the regular season point champion in the ECHL.

The Brabham Cup is named in recognition of Henry Brabham, who was a founding member of the ECHL and the first owner of the Erie Panthers. A former mayor and businessman who was a major force in professional hockey in Virginia for more than 15 years, Brabham worked tirelessly to establish the ECHL during its early years.

With one game remaining in the regular season, the Aces are 53-11-7 and have 113 points, three points more than West Division rival Las Vegas which beat Long Beach 4-2 on Friday to improve to 52-13-6. The Aces and Wranglers have the second-highest and the third-highest point totals in league history behind the league record of 116 points set by Louisiana in 2001-02. Alaska will play at Bakersfield on Saturday while Las Vegas hosts Phoenix.

Alaska clinches home ice for the 2006 Kelly Cup Playoffs which will open at 1 p.m. on Sunday with Greenville hosting Augusta in the South Division Quarterfinals. The Aces have qualified for the postseason in each of their first three seasons in the ECHL, losing in seven games to Kelly Cup champion Trenton in the conference finals a year ago.

Alaska is tied with the 1999-2000 Florida Everblades for the second-most wins in ECHL history while Las Vegas has the fourth-highest win total. The league record for wins is 56 by Louisiana in 2001-02. It is the first time in league history that two teams have finished with 50 wins in the same season. Gwinnett is 49-15-7 and can become the third team to reach 50 wins with a victory on Saturday against Augusta.

Gwinnett has 105 points which ties the Gladiators with the 1995-96 Richmond Renegades for the ninth-highest point total. A win against Augusta on Saturday would move the Gladiators into a tie for sixth place with the 2004-05 Pensacola Ice Pilots at 107 points while a loss in overtime or shootout on Saturday against Augusta would move the Gladiators into a tie for seventh place with the 2003-04 Wheeling Nailers and the 1998-99 Pee Dee Pride.

There have been 18 teams that have reached 100 points in a season and the most teams to achieve the century mark in a season is three in 2003-04 (San Diego, Wheeling and Atlantic City) and 2005-06 (Alaska, Las Vegas and Gwinnett). Fresno could make it to 100 points with a win against Long Beach on Saturday and Florida could also reach 100 points with a win at Pensacola on Saturday.

ECHL Stories from April 8, 2006

• Oklahoma City defeats Stockton - Stockton Thunder
• Wranglers defeat Phoenix Roadrunners 4-3 - Las Vegas Wranglers
• Condors Conclude Regular Season in Style With 5-3 Win Over Alaska - Bakersfield Condors
• Wranglers Edge RoadRunners 4-3 - Phoenix RoadRunners
• Victoria Salmon Kings Defeat Grizzlies 7-4 in Season Finale - Utah Grizzlies
• Aces bow in Bako, playoffs begin Monday night in Anchorage - Alaska Aces
• Gladiators Beat Augusta, 5-3 - Atlanta Gladiators
• Bombers lose to Nailers - Dayton Bombers
• Titans finish regular season with 2-1 win over Royals - Trenton Devils
• Royals Complete 2005-06 Regular Seaosn With Loss In Trenton, 2-1 - Reading Royals
• 'Blades finish off regular season with 3-2 win - Florida Everblades
• Titans change up roster heading into playoffs - Trenton Devils
• Gladiators beat Lynx 5-3 - Augusta Lynx
• Nailers to Face Royals in Round One - Wheeling Nailers
• ECHL Transactions - ECHL
• Steelheads first round opponent set - Idaho Steelheads
• Gaucher Named ECHL Defenseman of the Year - Alaska Aces
• Key forward returned to Steelheads - Idaho Steelheads
• Playoff Tickets On Sale at Noon Today - Bakersfield Condors
• Aces claim West with 6-3 win at Fresno - Alaska Aces
• Alaska Aces Win Brabham Cup With Second-Highest Point Total In ECHL History - ECHL
• Alaska's Gaucher Named Defenseman Of The Year - ECHL
• ECHL Today - ECHL
• Former ECHL Netminder Sabourin Is First Team All-AHL - ECHL
• Checkers beat Columbia 4-1 - Playoff opponent now set - Charlotte Checkers
• Titans knocked down by Nailers, 5-1 - Trenton Devils
• Condors Clinch First Round Home Ice - Bakersfield Condors

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