Sports stats



Aces lose shootout, 7-6

January 8, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Armed with a comfortable 5-2 edge heading into the final 20 minutes, the Anchorage Aces saw the Fresno Falcons score three times on five shots and eventually scrape out a 7-6 shootout decision before 1,901 shocked fans at Sullivan Arena Tuesday night.

Fresno sleepwalked through the first five minutes of the contest, and Anchorage looked every bit like a club that had not played for nine days, coming out flying to take a quick 2-0 lead. Dean Larson, named Anchorage Chrysler Dodge Player of the Month earlier in the day, went coast-to-coast, splitting a pair of Falcon defenders and scoring on the power play just 2:33 of the game. Captain B.J. Young, playing his first game in exactly a month, one-timed a perfect pass from Wes Dorey past Fresno starter Terry Friesen two minutes later. Jason Weaver brought the Falcons within 2-1 at 11:30, but Don Martin banged home a rebound four minutes later to push the lead back to two goals heading into the second period. Four of Martin's six goals this year have come in the four games against Fresno.

Yvan Corbin tapped in a Kevin McNeill centering pass just 33 seconds into the middle frame, and Anchorage enjoyed a 4-1 spread that moved to 5-1 when Dorey snapped a sizzler past Friesen with seven minutes left in the period for his first goal in an Aces' uniform. Cory Murphy trimmed the gap to 5-2 less than 90 seconds later, but Anchorage seemed in command, until Murphy set up Weaver for a power play goal only 17 seconds into the third period. After mistake by the Aces in their own zone, Weaver found Kris Porter, who wheeled and zipped a shot five-hole against Anchorage goaltender Ryan Person to slice the advantage to 5-4 at 7:21. When Scott Borders scored with 9:05 left in regulation, the Falcons had made up a four-goal deficit in a span of less than 17 minutes.

Fresno appeared poised to take its first lead on a power play later in the final period, but Corbin took a Larson pass and ripped a shot from the left circle that beat a completely fooled Mark Gowan, who had replaced Friesen between the pipes following the second period. Trailing 6-5, the Falcons took advantage of a late Larson penalty, pulling Gowan and scoring on the ensuing six-on-four, courtesy of a Kevin Haupt blast from the point with 42.8 seconds showing on the clock. The shootout was a mere formality, as Murphy and Colin Embley scored for Fresno while Corbin, Young, Dorey, and Kimbi Daniels came up empty against Gowan.

The Aces (10-21-2) squandered not only the big lead but a chance to move within five points of Fresno for the fourth and final playoff spot. Instead, the Falcons (13-12-4) enjoy an eight-point bulge heading into tomorrow night's rematch at Sullivan Arena at 7:00 p.m. AST. That game marks the last home game until January 22 for Anchorage, which is 1-4-1 on its current homestand and will play six straight games on the road after tomorrow night, including three games in three nights in three different cities this weekend. Corbin and head coach Rod Davidson will be appearing on the "Bob & Mark" morning show on 100.5 FM tomorrow between 8:00-9:00 a.m. All games are broadcast live on KFQD 750 AM and at www.anchorageaces.com or www.kfqd.com, with Jack Michaels calling the play-by-play. Coverage begins 20 minutes prior to the opening face-off, presented by GCI.

• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...

ECHL Stories from January 8, 2003


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Alaska Aces Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central