Aces' 40 shots on goal fall short on Butler's 1st career shutout
March 14, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Dustin Butler made a season high 40 saves, enough first career shutout to help the Colorado Eagles skate by the Alaska Aces (37-17-5, 79 points), 2-0 before 4,121 fans at Sullivan Arena on Thursday night.
Gerald Coleman stopped 25 shots for Alaska and absorbed only his second loss in seven lifetime games against Colorado, who broke an 11-game winning streak by the Aces at Sullivan Arena in the head-to-head series.
Both teams traded a flurry of scoring chances in the first period, keeping both goaltenders busy while the Aces owned the first 11 of 16 shots. Butler's key save was a stop on a two-on-one between Tyler Mosienko and Corey Syvret, while Coleman kept the game scoreless with a difficult blocker save on Greg Gardner's re-direction from the slot.
With less than four minutes left, Butler also got his blocker on Jordan Morrison's shorthanded breakaway attempt.
After Sivak's near miss from the slot in the second period, Kyle Ostrow was able to outmuscle the Aces defense at the net and pump a rebound home for his 27th goal of the year at 8:02 of the second period for a 1-0 lead.
Alaska outshot Colorado, 17-8 in the third period while looking for the equalizer and Butler was able to turn away another array of quality chances, including a Tommy Mele wrister ticketed for the upper corner that Butler deflected with his stick.
Coleman was pulled for an extra attacker with less than 1:30 to play and the Aces generated pressure, but Riley Nelson's clearing attempt found Jesse Mychan open for an empty net goal from the left circle with six seconds left.
NOTES: The Aces scratched Ben Parker, Mathew Sisca, Zach McKelvie, Eli Zuck, David Eddy ... the Aces fell to 17-7-0 in the lifetime series ... Alex Belzile led the Aces with five shots on goal ... new goaltender Connor Knapp arrived in Anchorage, in time for the game and backed up Coleman ... the Aces went 0-of-3 on the power play, ending a string of five straight games with a power play goal.
The two teams return for a rematch tomorrow at 7:15 p.m. (GCI/KFQD) at Sullivan Arena. Season ticket and sponsorship packages are currently available through the Aces office at 15th & Gambell. For more information, please call the Aces at 907.258.ACES or visit them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/alaskaaceshockey.
Three Stars:
1. COL - D. Butler
2. COL - L. Fulghum
3. AK - G. Coleman
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