Aces cruise past Victoria, 5-1
January 22, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
VICTORIA, BC â In a game that featured eight majors, two match penalties, three game misconducts, and 128 minutes in penalties, Alaska defeated Victoria for the fifth consecutive time, 5-1, before 2,597 Friday at Bear Mountain Arena.
The Aces gained control early, taking advantage of a five-minute major and a game misconduct whistled against Salmon Kings forward Ryan Wade for spearing Scott Gomez at 3:44 of the first period. Alaska scored twice within a 40-second span on the ensuing power play, beginning with Jordan Cameron's fourth goal of the year at 6:32. For Cameron, the goal marked a triumphant return to the lineup for the first time since December 18 after being sidelined with an ankle injury. Joe Talbot stuffed home his own rebound on the very next shift, and the Aces coasted into the first intermission armed with a 2-0 lead.
Chris Corrinet scored on a Victoria power play at 7:08 of the second period to whittle the deficit in half, but Talbot's second of the night at 12:09 seemed to derail any hopes of the Salmon Kings ending their winless streak, which has now reached 14 games (0-13-1), tying for the third-longest in the history of the ECHL. Cal Benazic blasted a one-timer through Victoria goalie Jason Stone with 4:39 left in the period, pushing Alaska's margin to 4-1 entering the final 20 minutes.
Shortly after Benazic's goal, Aces winger Mike Lee and Salmon Kings defenseman Dale Purinton engaged in the headline bout, which might have been upstaged by the undercard midway through the third period between Cameron and Victoria's Blue Bennefield. Meanwhile, after B.J. Young accounted for the game's final goal with 9:09 left in the game, another melee developed following an open-ice hit by Salmon Kings defenseman Cole Byers on Alaska's Oliver Filion, which led to both Byers and Young receiving match penalties in the ensuing dust-up.
For the first time in 20 games dating to November 26, the Aces (20-13-4) gave up 30 shots in a game, as both teams finished with 32 apiece. Lance Mayes improved to 4-1 against the last-place Salmon Kings (7-26-4) and 7-6 overall with 31 saves before his hometown crowd. Gomez recorded two assists to run his league-leading total to 37 while Young and Benazic each contributed a goal and an assist.
Alaska, now tied with idle Fresno for fourth place in the West Division, and Victoria clash for the final two times this season tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. AST and Sunday at Noon AST. The Aces have taken the last five meetings by a combined score of 31-10. Both games will be broadcast live on flagship station KFQD 750 AM and at www.alaskaaces.com, with coverage beginning 20 minutes prior to the opening face-off.
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