Aces prevail in Victoria, 5-4
Published on December 30, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
VICTORIA, BC - Kimbi Daniels assisted on four of Alaska's five goals as the Aces rebounded from their first loss in Canada the night before with a 5-4 win in Victoria in front of 4,440 Saturday night at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Having lost Friday despite a 37-18 advantage in shots on goal, Alaska attacked with a vengeance to begin Saturday's game, and was rewarded when Matt Shasby flicked a cross-ice pass from Daniels over Victoria goalie Bryan Bridges' right shoulder just 50 seconds into the contest. For Shasby, the goal marked his first point of any kind in four weeks and triggered a three-point evening.
The Salmon Kings responded, as Matt Kelly took a pass from Milan Gajic and scored much the same way Shasby had to forge a 1-1 tie at 2:14. The Aces regained the lead at 16:04 when Julian Talbot pounced on a rebound of a Shasby drive the point and flipped in a backhander for his 10th goal of the year and the first of three power play goals for Alaska (18-9-1).
Victoria turned its 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead in exactly five seconds early in the second period, as Kiel McLeod's 12th goal of the year (six of which have come against the Aces) at 6:05 was followed by a Milan Gajic wrist shot on a breakaway that slipped past Alaska starter Derek Gustafson, who finished with 31 saves. Olivier Filion scored for the third consecutive game to knot the contest 3-3 at 12:57 on another Aces power play, and Matt Robinson gave Alaska the lead for good in the final minute of the second period, scoring off the rush, courtesy of yet another cross-ice feed from Daniels.
Kevin Croxton scored his 11th of the year on the power play to push the margin to 5-3 in favor of the Aces at 4:16 of the final period. Alaska killed off all three power plays for the Salmon Kings over the final 20 minutes, but Victoria managed one more threat, when Ryan Wade took advantage of a defensive zone turnover and scored on a wrap-around with 7:47 remaining.
Alaska will practice tomorrow before meeting Victoria (10-18-1) to ring in the New Year in the series finale on Monday afternoon at 12:00 p.m. AST. Live coverage on KFQD 750 AM begins at 11:45 a.m. The Aces (now 12-1-2 on Canadian soil) open a six-game homestand Wednesday, January 3, at 7:15 p.m. against Utah, a 4-3 winner over Las Vegas Saturday. Alaska has beaten the Grizzlies seven straight times at Sullivan Arena. Tickets for next week's games are now available at www.alaskaaces.com or by calling 258-ACES.
ECHL Stories from December 30, 2006
- Gladiators Fly by Ice Pilots, 7-4 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Falcons Inch Closer to First Place with 3-2 Win in Stockton - Fresno Falcons
- Aces prevail in Victoria, 5-4 - Alaska Aces
- Condors Close Out 2006 with 5-3 Loss to Steelheads - Bakersfield Condors
- Ice Pilots lose to Gwinnett Gladiators 7-4 - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Utah Holds On 4-3 Over Las Vegas - Utah Grizzlies
- Daigneau And Company Shine As Steelheads Beat Condors 5-3 To Complete Sweep - Idaho Steelheads
- Yeats Makes 46 Saves to Propel 'Catters to 4-1 WIN - Texas Wildcatters
- Ice Dogs Slip Past RoadRunners 2-1 - Phoenix RoadRunners
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Victoria Salmon Kings game notes - Victoria Salmon Kings
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Royals Final Memory For 2006 Is A 6-4 Win Over Trenton - Reading Royals
- Six Unanswered Third Period Power Play Goals Give Johnstown The Win - Johnstown Chiefs
- 'Blades end 2006 with 4-1 loss to Wildcatters - Florida Everblades
- Titans can't solve Royals in 6-4 loss - Trenton Devils
- Dayton Drops Another Bomb on Toledo - Toledo Walleye
- Inferno Down Stingrays 5-2 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Dubnyk, Canada Advance To Spengler Cup Final - Stockton Thunder
- Jeff Pietrasiak and Shawn Germain Loaned To Hershey - Reading Royals
- Victoria Salmon Kings commemorate Gavin Fletcher - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Bahensky, Constant & Jessiman to Charlotte - Charlotte Checkers
- Valiant comeback falls short in 4-2 loss to Toledo - Dayton Bombers
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.
