Connolly's record tying night helps Aces rip off seventh straight win
December 6, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - Brendan Connolly tied an Alaska Aces record with five points (1g-4a), while Chris Francis buried two goals en route to a 6-4 victory over the Stockton Thunder before 3,574 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday.
The Aces extended their winning streak to seven straight games and are 8-1-0 in the last nine games, surging above .500 for the first time this season. Five different players recorded multi point games while Johan Gustafsson made 24 saves in his Aces debut. Newcomer Raphael Bussieres recorded a goal and an assist in his ECHL debut.
Connolly became the seventh player, all-time in Aces ECHL history, to record a five point game (last achieved by Peter Sivak, in 2013-14 vs. Bakersfield).
The game began with a similar start - Justin Johnson and Stockton counterpart Garet Hunt dropped the gloves at the opening face-off, with Johnson landing several blows to energize the Aces. But Stockton collected the first goal on a Ryan Hayes power play goal at 7:10, answered by Francis' snap shot from the right circle at 8:34 for a 1-1 tie.
A defensive zone giveaway ended in a Hunt rebound goal and 2-1 Aces deficit just 26 seconds later. But Olivier Archambault jammed a loose puck past starting goaltender Shane Owen with 1:19 left in the period, knotting the game at 2-2.
The Aces then were lifted on Francis' second goal, their first shorthanded marker of the season, when he scored on a breakaway with 48 seconds left for a 3-2 lead. From there, the rally kept moving with Connolly adding to his performance.
His fifth goal of the season, a backhander after he shook off a Stockton defender on the rush, chased Owen for Kent Simpson and a 4-2 lead at 9:16 of the second period. Connolly then hammered a shot from the right circle that deflected off Richard and past Simpson's glove for a 5-2 bulge with 35 seconds left.
Peter Sivak's backhander fooled Gustafsson for a 5-3 deficit at 2:07 of the third period, but a penalty kill stabilized the Aces for Bussieres, who put the game out of reach on Connolly's set-up at the right circle at 5:09 for a 6-3 cushion.
Tyler Shattock ended the scoring with a sharp angled goal, from the right circle at 15:36.
Owen was pulled after allowing four goals on 16 shots, and Simpson took the loss on ten saves.
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