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Aces back in familiar position

November 11, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


The three-time defending Brabham Cup champion Alaska Aces find themselves in a familiar position nearly a month into the 2013-14 ECHL regular season. Alaska, which had a nine-game winning streak snapped on Saturday, leads the Mountain Division with a 9-2-0 record for 18 points, giving the Aces the second-most points in the league, just two points behind South Carolina.

Alaska, which has won an ECHL record four Brabham Cup championships, has won its division title in four of the last five seasons, and in seven of its 10 ECHL seasons.

The Aces opened a three-game series in Idaho last Wednesday with a 3-0 win over the Steelheads. After a scoreless first period, Alaska seized control of the game with a three-goal spurt in just under a seven-minute span in the second period. Shawn Skelly, Andy Taranto and Nick Mazzolini found the back of the net and Mark Guggenberger turned aside all 21 shots he faced to record the shutout.

Wednesday's win was the Aces third consecutive shutout, tying the ECHL record, and the club entered Friday's game within range of the league record for longest shutout sequence. Alaska found itself just shy of setting a new standard, however, as Idaho scored 7:46 into the opening period on Friday, leaving the Aces just eight minutes short of the record.

It was just a minor roadblock though for Alaska as the Aces went on to win Friday's game by a 5-2 score. Five different Aces tallied in the win, and Guggenberger earned the win with 26 saves on 28 Idaho shots.

The Aces winning streak came to an end in the series finale on Saturday, as the Steelheads skated away with a 4-2 win. Evan Trupp scored both of Alaska's goals, and his second goal brought Alaska to within a goal with 3:01 remaining in regulation, but Idaho tallied just 14 seconds later to set the final score.

Alaska's nine straight wins fell just two shy of the team's all-time record, an 11-game winning streak from Nov. 11-Dec. 10, 2005.

Veteran Peter Sivak has keyed the Aces' offense this season as he leads the ECHL in both assists (16) and points (22). Tim Coffman, the ECHL Rookie of the Month for October, ranks second among all first-year players with 13 points (5g-8a). Coffman is tied for fifth overall in the league in points with Trupp, who has six goals and seven assists on the season.

The Aces return to Anchorage this weekend for their only three home games in a 14-game stretch as the Las Vegas Wranglers are at Sullivan Arena for games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

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Divisions

Atlantic Division

- Artem Demkov 's six-game goal streak (7g) is the longest current streak in the ECHL.

- The Jackals are one of three teams to not play an overtime game this season.

- Elmira is at Wheeling on Thursday and Saturday and hosts the Nailers on Friday.

- Brandon Anderson recorded his third career shutout, all against Wheeling, on Sautrday.

- Reading has allowed just 17 goals in its nine games this season.

- The Royals travel to Kalamazoo on Friday and Toledo on Sunday.

- Goaltenders Mike Condon and Eric Hartzell combined to allow just eight goals in four games last week, posting a 1.98 goals against average and a .938 save percentage.

- The Nailers have scored 11 of their 21 goals in the third period.

- Wheeling hosts Elmira on Thursday and Saturday and visits the Jackals on Friday.

North Division

- Wade Megan leads rookies, and is second overall, with eight goals.

- The Cyclones lead the league with 4.50 goals per game.

- Cincinnati hosts Orlando on Wednesday and Greenville on Friday and is at Kalamazoo on Saturday.

- Matt Lowry is on a four-game goal streak since Nov. 3 (4g).

- Evansville has scored 12 of its 24 goals in the third period.

- The IceMen host Orlando on Friday and Saturday.

- Joe Hartman registered his first pro point with an assist on Saturday's at Cincinnati.

- The Komets are tied for second with three shorthanded goals.

- Fort Wayne hosts Toledo on Friday and Greenville on Saturday.

- Jordan Binnington earned his first pro win against Wheeling on Wednesday.

- Kalamazoo has killed off 12 of its opponents' last 14 power-play opportunities.

- The K-Wings host Reading on Friday and Cincinnati on Saturday.

- Travis Novak leads Toledo in scoring with 10 points (3g-7a).

- The Walleye are 2-0-1 in games that go beyond regulation.

- Toledo is at Orlando on Monday and at Fort Wayne on Friday before it hosts Reading on Sunday.

South Division

- Matthew Pistilli leads the league with 10 goals and is second with 20 points.

- The Everblades have outshot their opponent in 10 of their 11 games.

- Florida is at Gwinnett on Thursday and Friday and at South Carolina on Saturday.

- Jeff Malcolm recorded his first pro win on Saturday at Gwinnett.

- Greenville is 3-0-0 when outshooting its opponent.

- The Road Warriors host Gwinnett on Monday and are at Cincinnati on Friday and Fort Wayne on Saturday.

- Peter Delmas is tied for second with a .944 save percentage.

- The Gladiators have scored eight of their 20 goals in the second period.

- Gwinnett is at Greenville on Monday, hosts Florida on Thursday and Friday and is at South Carolina on Sunday.

- C.J. Severyn leads the club with 11 points (4g-7a).

- Orlando is 3-0-1 when outshooting its opponent.

- The Solar Bears host Toledo on Monday, and are at Cincinnati on Wednesday and Evansville on Friday and Saturday.

- Jordan Owens is on a six-game point streak since Nov. 1 (5g-3a).

- The Stingrays are the only ECHL team without a regulation loss (9-0-2).

- South Carolina hosts Florida on Saturday and Gwinnett on Sunday.

Mountain Division

- Peter Sivak leads the league with 16 assists and 22 points.

- The Aces have outscored their opponents 35-5 in the final two periods.

- Alaska hosts Las Vegas on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

- Kevin Young is fifth among defensemen with seven points (2g-5a).

- Colorado is 6-0-0 when scoring first.

- The Eagles visit Utah on Saturday.

- Pat Nagle is 2-1-1 with a .920 save percentage in four November starts.

- Eleven of Idaho's 23 goals in regulation have come in the third period.

- The Steelheads host Ontario on Wednesday and visit San Francisco on Friday and Saturday.

- David Vallorani leads Utah with nine points (2g-7a).

- The Grizzlies are tied for fifth on the penalty kill at 89.5 percent (34-for-38).

- Utah hosts Ontario on Monday and Colorado on Saturday.

Pacific Division

- Jordan Knackstedt leads Bakersfield with three goals.

- The Condors are third on the penalty kill on the road at 92.0 percent (23-for-25).

- Bakersfield hosts Stockton on Thursday and Ontario on Saturday before visiting Stockton on Sunday.

- Adam Huxley is 79 penalty minutes shy of 2,000 in his ECHL career.

- Las Vegas has scored nine of its 20 goals in the first period.

- The Wranglers are at Alaska on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

- Dan DaSilva is tied for third in the league with 14 points (4g-10a).

- The Reign are 15-for-15 on the penalty kill in their last three games.

- Ontario is at Utah on Monday, Idaho on Wednesday, Stockton on Friday, Bakersfield on Saturday and San Francisco on Sunday.

- Kyle Bigos scored his first pro goal on Friday against Bakersfield.

- San Francisco is 2-0-0 when it scores first.

- The Bulls visit Stockton on Monday and host Idaho on Friday and Saturday and Ontario on Sunday.

- Joey Martin scored his first goal with Stockton on Sunday at Bakersfield.

- The Thunder lead the league on both the power play (25.0 percent) and the penalty kill (96.7 percent).

- Stockton hosts San Francisco on Monday, is at Bakersfield on Thursday and hosts Ontario on Friday.




ECHL Stories from November 11, 2013


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