Aces Dominate Rush 5-1 in Rapid City
December 24, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
Aces Dominate Rush 5-1 in Rapid City
(Alaska Aces, Credit: Michael Wolforth )
RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA - Lukas Hafner made 33 saves, and Alaska's defensemen scored three goals as the Aces went into the Christmas holiday break with a resounding 5-1 victory over the Rapid City Rush Friday at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.
The victory sends Alaska into the break in second place in the ECHL's Mountain Division.
No scoring in the first period, and the Aces were much sharper than Wednesday by a long shot. In the defensive zone and in the offensive zone, where Alaska mustered 13 shots at the Rush net, with goaltender Adin Hill forced to knock away some difficult chances. On the other end, Aces netminder Lukas Hafner was also perfect, thwarting 10 Rush shots.
The Alaska offense really came alive in the second period, as the Glacier Blue got the finish with the shots, and they did it early.
At 1:23, Justin Breton took a puck out of the skates of Garet Hunt and zipped it through a crowd and over the shoulder of Hill for his 6th goal of the season. Hunt and Ben Lake on the assists.
In the blink of an eye, the Aces had a 2-0 lead at 1:52, thanks to Steve Tarasuk. He let go a hard, accurate shot that eluded Hill with assists from Nolan Descoteaux and Peter Sivak. The goal was Tarasuk's 4th of the season.
Nolan Descoteaux got on the scoresheet with his long wrister through traffic. Hunt and Lake assisted on Descoteaux's third goal of the season.
The Aces outshot the Rush 25-23 through two periods.
Aces defensemen were red hot, and Dax Lauwers was not immune. His shot from out near the blueline found the net, again through traffic, and Alaska had a 4-0 lead. Assists on the play from Tyler Ruegsegger and Matt Geurts.
After former Ace Ryan Walters scored a hellacious backhand to ruin the shutout, Peter Sivak scored at 13:44 on a one-timer off a pass from Danny Moynihan for the 5-1 final. The goal was Sivak's league-leading 22nd of the season.
Shots on goal were even at 34.
Alaska is now off until Friday. December 30 when the Colorado Eagles come to Anchorage for a three-game New Year's weekend series.
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Images from this story
 Aces Dominate Rush 5-1 in Rapid City (Michael Wolforth ) |
ECHL Stories from December 24, 2016
- ECHL Transactions - December 24 - ECHL
- Aces Dominate Rush 5-1 in Rapid City - Alaska Aces
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