Aces Announce First Round Playoff Dates

March 25, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


The three-time Brabham Cup Champion Alaska Aces announced their opening round schedule of the 2013 Kelly Cup Playoffs on Monday afternoon. The top-seeded Aces will face the eighth-seeded San Francisco Bulls in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, beginning on Friday, April 5 at 7:15pm at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage. Playoff tickets are on sale now at the Aces office, the Sullivan Arena Box Office, Fred Meyer Stores, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information, please call the Aces at 907.258.ACES or visit them online at www.facebook.com/alaskaaceshockey.

This series will mark the sixth straight playoff series against a different opponent for Alaska. It will be the first ever playoff series for the expansion Bulls who are 24-37-8 with three games remaining in the season. The Aces went 7-1-1 in nine meetings with the Bulls this year. Alaska swept two of the three series this season, including their only trip to the Cow Palace in San Francisco in early March. However, Alaska went just 1-1-1 in a three-game set with the Bulls at Sullivan Arena in late January. That was one of just two times this season that a visiting team claimed more points than the Aces in a series in Anchorage. Six of the nine meetings this year were played in Alaska. The Aces were 4-1-1 at home, and 3-0 in San Francisco.

After earning a first-round bye as the Western Conference's top seed each of the last two years, the Aces are playing their first opening round series since the 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs. This season the bye was eliminated, and the opening round was switched to a best-of-seven format.

Games One and Two will be played in Anchorage, before the series shifts to San Francisco for the next three games. If necessary, the teams will return to Anchorage to finish the series at Sullivan Arena on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 16 and 17. The winner will advance to the Western Conference Semifinals to take on the winner of the fourth place vs. fifth place matchup. The Stockton Thunder have already secured the fourth seed, and the fifth seed is still yet to be determined between the Las Vegas Wranglers and Colorado Eagles.

Make your plans to join the Aces in their 2013 Kelly Cup Playoffs debut at Sullivan Arena for Games 1 & 2 on Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6. The entire series schedule is as follows:

Western Conference Semifinals: #1 Alaska vs. #8 San Francisco (All Times AKT)

Game 1 - Friday, April 5, 7:15pm @ Sullivan Arena

Game 2 - Saturday, April 6, 7:15pm @ Sullivan Arena

Game 3 - Thursday, April 11, 6:15pm @ Cow Palace

Game 4 - Friday, April 12, 6:15pm @ Cow Palace

*Game 5 - Saturday, April 13, 6:15pm @ Cow Palace

*Game 6 - Tuesday, April 16, 7:15pm @ Sullivan Arena

*Game 7 - Wednesday, April 17, 7:15pm @ Sullivan Arena

* If necessary

The Aces will begin their quest for the Kelly Cup at the Sullivan Arena for Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals on Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6 against the San Francisco Bulls. Playoff tickets are currently on sale at the Aces office, the Sullivan Arena Box Office, Fred Meyer Stores, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information, please call the Aces at 907.258.ACES or visit them online at www.facebook.com/alaskaaceshockey.



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