Aces drop loss to end road trip, season series at 6-2-0 vs. Utah

Published on March 2, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah - Tenth forward Brent Gwidt's go-ahead goal with 6:47 remaining in regulation stood as the game winner, helping the Utah Grizzlies hold off the Alaska Aces (35-16-4, 74 points), 4-3 before a crowd of 6,340 at Maverik Center on Saturday.

The Aces, who ended their season series at 6-2-0 against Utah, rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits with goals from Brendan Connolly, Peter Sivak and Mathew Sisca. Gerald Coleman, who had to make a pair of key breakaway saves in the first period to keep the Aces in striking distance, took the loss on 20 saves.

Counterpart Aaron Dell, facing the Aces for the first time in his career, earned the win on 23 saves.

Teigan Zahn and David Vallorani scored 3:49 apart in the first period to stake Utah to a 2-0 lead, beginning on Zahn's seventh goal with a backdoor finish at the right circle. Vallorani snuck behind the Aces defense at 4:49 and deflected Phil Mangan's feed past Coleman's blocker side.

Coleman made two breakaway saves on Vinny Scarsella and Jamie MacQueen to keep the Aces within two goals by the end of the first period.

Connolly finished Nick Mazzolini's centering pass from behind the net 2:50 of the second period to draw the Aces to within a goal. Sivak's Aces-leading 22nd goal of the season tied the score with 9:45 left when he took Brad Richard's cross-ice feed, snuck by Michael Pelech and buried a snap shot from the top of the right circle.

Two late penalties stalled the Aces momentum and they fell behind, 3-2 on Jamie MacQueen's breakaway power play goal with 3:48 left in the period.

Sisca answered on an Aces power play at 4:41 of the final period on a set-up by newcomer Alex Belzile and Zach Davies at the right circle, followed by Sisca's wrister that beat Dell under the crossbar for a 3-3 tie.

With the clock winding into the final minutes, Gwidt (began the game as Utah's 10th forward) put Utah ahead on an Aces breakout miscue. An outlet pass to the red line, intended for Andy Taranto and broken up by Zahn, was countered with Zahn skating down the left wing and feeding a pass to Gwidt, wide open at the right post for a 4-3 score.

The Aces answered by pounding the Utah net and nearly tied the game with less than two minutes to play when Nick Mazzolini's slapshot, hammered off Dell's left arm, dribbled to the goal line but was covered up.

Coleman was pulled and the Aces swarmed the boards in the last seconds looking for a final scoring chance, but Brad Richard's bid from the top of the right circle was blocked to close the game.

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