Aces prevail in shootout, 4-3, win streak at nine
December 8, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Chris Minard scored to break a 2-2 tie in the third period, and when that lead failed to hold up, converted the only goal of the ensuing shootout as Alaska nipped Fresno, 4-3, for its ninth straight victory before 3,961 at Sullivan Arena.
The Aces shrugged off a mostly sluggish first period and grabbed a 1-0 lead at the break when Ryan Gaucher flipped a backhander past Falcons goaltender Brett Jaeger with 2:39 left in the frame. Jaeger had trouble controlling rebounds early before settling into a groove, and that difficulty led to Alaska's second goal just 44 seconds into the second period, as captain Keith McCambridge notched his first of the season and the 17th of his 11-year pro career.
Trailing 2-0, Fresno took full advantage of back-to-back, five-on-three power play opportunities with seven minutes left in the middle frame. Jean-Francois Plourde scored both goals within 47 seconds, with each being set up by Luke Curtin and Cory Murphy. Minard's goal, his 14th of the year, came with 7:18 left in regulation and ended a 0-for-9 spell on the Aces power play. But Murphy beat Alaska goalie Chris Beckford-Tseu with a wrist shot for the equalizer with 5:06 to play, Fresno's third power play goal of the contest.
Neither team scored in the final five minutes of regulation or overtime, as the Aces continued to pepper Jaeger, finishing with a 37-23 edge in shots on goal, including 28-13 over the final 45 minutes. Beckford-Tseu stopped all five Falcon attempts in Alaska's first shootout action of the year, while Minard squeezed a backhander through Jaeger's skates for the winner in the third round.
Alaska, 15-3-2 overall and owners of a four-point lead in the West Division, faces Fresno, 10-4-5 and the leader by five in the Pacific, twice more this weekend at Sullivan Arena. Friday and Saturday night's games will start at 7:15 p.m. All Aces games, home and away, are broadcast live on KFQD AM 750 and at www.alaskaaces.com. In addition, all home games and selected road contests will be available on a pay-per-view basis on the internet, courtesy of B2 Networks.
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