Aces Cruise Past RoadRunners 6-3

February 28, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release


PHOENIX, Ariz. - Sean O'Connor tallied a pair of goals and Gino Guyer added three assists but it was not enough as the Alaska Aces defeated the Phoenix RoadRunners 6-3 before 2,835 at US Airways Center in ECHL action Thursday.

Following a scoreless first period, the two clubs traded six goals in the middle frame. Alaska (29-19-5) jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of power play goals in the first three minutes of the second period. Peter Metcalf beat RoadRunners goalie Cody Rudkowsky with a slap shot from the right point on a two-man advantage power play just 37 seconds into the period for the game's first tally. Matt Shasby extended Alaska's lead to 2-0 when he received a cross-ice pass down low from Josh Soares and tapped the puck behind Rudkowsky at 2:22 on the power play. The RoadRunners (18-32-7) retaliated at 10:43 on the man-advantage when Sean O'Connor scored his first of the evening beating Alaska goalie Mike Brown off the post and into the net to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Aces quickly countered though as Vladimir Novak stripped a RoadRunners' defenseman of the puck, broke in alone on Rudkowsky, and stuffed the puck through his pads at 11:26 for a 3-1 advantage. Kimbi Daniels extended the Alaska lead to 4-1 when he beat Rudkowsky with a snap shot from the left-wing circle at 13:12 of the period. O'Connor however would cut the Aces lead in half before the period ended as he finished off a great individual effort by moving the puck through Corbin Schmidt's skates and slapping it over the shoulder of Brown at 15:57.

The Aces quickly put the game out of reach scoring twice in a two-minute span in the first four minutes of the third period. Daniels netted his second of the game at 1:15 of the third and Michael Lambert scored at 3:15 to give the Aces a 6-2 lead. Francois-Pierre Guenette assisted on both goals. Peder Skinner gave Phoenix a bit of life when he beat Brown with a slap shot from left wall at 11:33 of the third period, but the RoadRunners could not muster anything else.

Phoenix out-shot Alaska 40-28. Rudkowsky stopped 22 shots and fell to 9-20-3 on the season. The RoadRunners went 1-7 on the power play while Alaska was 2-5 with the man-advantage.

Notes: O'Connor registered his fourth multi-goal game and his 11th multiple-point game of the season...Guyer has six assists and eight points in three games against his former club. Guyer was traded by the Aces to the RoadRunners on Dec. 14, 2007...RoadRunners forward Jeff Smith, a former Alaska Aces skater, played in his 300th career game...Alaska won their season-high eighth consecutive game.

The RoadRunners will celebrate their past at 7:11 p.m. Friday at US Airways Center when they host "Turn Back the Clock Night" against the Alaska Aces. Scheduled to appear during a special second intermission ceremony are forwards Jeff Shevalier (1994-97), Mike Vukonich (1991-94), Shawn McCosh (1991-93), Ed Kastelic (1992-93), Brad McCaughey (1992-93), Bob Charlebois (1967-71), and Barry Potomski (1994-97), and defensemen Rob Cowie (1994-96), Darren Veitch (1995-96), Bobby Jay (1993-94), and Jim Niekamp (1974-78).

The club will also pay tribute to former RoadRunners' forward Tim Breslin who lost his battle with cancer and passed away on Feb. 9, 2005 at the age of 37. Breslin skated with the RoadRunners from 1991-94.

In addition to the festivities, the band "Stream" will perform live throughout the game.

The first 1,000 fans will receive a RoadRunners' rally towel presented by Dr. Michael Zacher, the "Official Team Dentist" of the Phoenix RoadRunners.

Great seats are still available beginning as low as $8 and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (480) 784-4444, purchasing online at ticketmaster.com or visiting the US Airways Center Box Office. Information on season tickets, half-season packages, and flex plans for the 2007-08 season of Phoenix RoadRunners Hockey are available by calling (602) 462-GOAL.



ECHL Stories from February 28, 2008


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