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ECHL Colorado Eagles

Aces Edge Eagles, 5-4, in OT

November 17, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Alaska Aces defeated the Colorado Eagles, 5-4, in overtime in the second of three games between the teams this week. Alaska got three goals from NHL players to help them come back from an early deficit, keeping Colorado without a road win this season and without a win in Alaska all-time.

Unlike the first period Wednesday night, the Eagles' special teams made a positive difference, with the power play converting on its only chance and the penalty kill stopping consecutive power plays for the Aces. That effort helped Colorado take a 3-1 lead into the first intermission.

Trent Daavettila got the scoring started at 5:20 when he stickhandled through the right circle and snapped a shot top-shelf past Mark Guggenberger on the power play. Colorado doubled that lead three minutes later following a faceoff in that same circle when Chad Costello grabbed the puck behind the Aces net and found Jack Combs between the circles for a quick shot under the goalie.

The Eagles' defense was tested next, as Alaska was awarded a pair of power plays back-to-back, but Colorado's penalty killers came through successfully. But at 16:30, the Aces were able to cut the Eagles' lead in half when Zach Harrison beat Kyle Jones from high in the left circle. However, with just 8.9 seconds left in the opening period, Dylan Hood was able to restore the two-goal margin for Colorado when he found the back of the net from the right circle.

The Aces controlled much of the play in the second period, out-shooting the Eagles 14-6, and dominating the first several minutes. But Jones was strong in the Eagles' net, stopping all but one shot that came his way in the frame, including a handful of stellar stops, highlighted by a stonewalling of NHL All-Star Scott Gomez four minutes in.

Following the early barrage from Alaska, the Eagles were then forced to kill another Aces power play, all of which led to the home team owning a 9-2 advantage in shots halfway through the second stanza. And at 17:17, Alaska cut Colorado's lead down to 3-2 following a turnover behind the Eagles net when Alexandre Imbeault found NHLer Nate Thompson alone in the slot for an easy goal.

Thompson tied the game at 3 two minutes into the third frame when he powered his way down the right wing and then cut across the doorstep to notch his second goal in a row. The Eagles re-took the lead with a power-play goal at 5:18 when Michael Forney netted his league-leading 11th marker of the season.

But the lead was short-lived, as Alaska countered with a man-advantage marker of its own just over a minute later when Kane Lafranchise's shot from the left circle was tipped home by NHLer Joey Crabb. That goal forced overtime with the score knotted at 4.

In the extra session there were plenty of chances for both squads with the teams skating four players aside on the Sullivan Arena's Olympic-sized ice. And with just over a minute left William Wrenn circled behind the Eagles' net and found Lafranchise for a one-timer from the left circle that made its way inside the far post to end the game.

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