Aces Double up Reign 6-3 in Physical Game

Published on December 19, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


The line of Wes Goldie, Brian Swanson, and Dan Kissel combined for five goals and ten points on Sunday night as the Alaska Aces defeated the Ontario Reign 6-3 at Sullivan Arena. Alaska took two of three games on the weekend with Ontario, and won for the sixth time in the last seven games. Sunday's contest was extremely physical, keping in theme with the three-game series. The clubs combined for 106 penalty minutes in the game. Alaska improved to 20-5-2, becoming the first ECHL team to 20 wins this season. The Aces now hit the road for a three-game trip in Boise beginning Wednesday night. They return home for one more series in 2011, hosting the Colorado Eagles on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 30 and 31. For more information, please call the Aces at 907.258.ACES or visit them online at www.facebook.com/alaskaaceshockey.

The Aces opened the game with a much stronger effort from the onset, outshooting Ontario 13-6 in the first period. Alaska got the frame's only goal when Garry Nunn swept a puck underneath J.F. Berube at 7:18 of the first period to extend his point streak to four games.

The second period turned into a highlight show of goals, hits, and fights. Alaska ripped off three goals in just over four and a half minutes to open up a large advantage. First Brian Swanson took a great feed from Wes Goldie in the slot at 3:12 to make it 2-0 Aces. Goldie then cut down the slot and tapped home a centering feed from Kane Lafranchise at 4:34. Dan Kissel scored on a power play at 7:47 to extend Alaska's lead, and chase Berube from the game for the third time this season against the Aces. Ontario got on the board on a Francois Brisebois power play goal at 14:30, and immediately after the goal tempers flared resulting in a line brawl. 60 penalty minutes and three ejections stemmed from that altercation alone. With seconds winding down in the middle period, Lafranchise drilled Kyle Kraemer with an open ice check to punctuate the physical frame. Kraemer got up and charged after Lafranchise, pulling him down, and then attempted the throw a linesman off of him following being separated. Alaska took a 4-1 lead into the third period.

The Reign made a game of it in the third off of a fortuitous bounce. A dump into the zone caromed off the boards and off the outside of the net, where the Reign pounced on it. Bill Bagron smacked the puck out of mid-air and into the vacated net from Adam Courchaine who had gone behind the net to play the puck. Bagron's goal at 6:10 made it a 4-2 Aces lead. The Reign had a later power play and pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker, however Swanson scored into the empty net from center ice at 14:30 for his second of the night to make it 5-2 Alaska. Kissel added another empty net goal at 18:12, giving the Aces a 6-2 lead. Brisebois scored in the final minute for Ontario at 19:03 to cap the scoring.

Adam Courchaine (5-1-1) earned the win, making 25 saves on 28 shots, and J.F. Berube (3-5-1) made 14 saves on 18 shots, taking the loss. Chris Carrozzi stopped all five shots he faced in relief, and did not figure into the decision. The Aces power play went 1-5, while the Reign went 1-5. Alaska was outshot by Ontario 28-25 in the game.

The Aces now hit the road for a three-game trip in Boise beginning Wednesday night. They return home for one more series in 2011, hosting the Colorado Eagles on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 30 and 31. For more information, please call the Aces at 907.258.ACES or visit them online at www.facebook.com/alaskaaceshockey.

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ECHL Stories from December 19, 2011


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