Aces stay in playoff contention despite setback in opener
April 9, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Jussi Oklinuora made 42 saves, one off his career-high, and Judd Blackwater supplied two goals and an assist to lift the Ontario Reign over the Alaska Aces, 4-1 before a crowd of 5,004 at Sullivan Arena on Wednesday.
The Aces avoided playoff elimination with Idaho defeating Utah, 7-3 earlier in the evening, but need a minimum of three points, with two games to play, to qualify for the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Ryan Walters tied the game with a second period power play goal, marking the fifth member of the Aces to hit the 20-goal plateau this season (first since 2008-09).
PACIFIC DIVISION GR PTS ROW
1 xy Idaho Steelheads 0 102 43
2 x Ontario Reign 2 94 37
3 x Colorado Eagles 2 89 38
4 Utah Grizzlies 2 78 30
5 Alaska Aces 2 75 31
6 e Bakersfield Condors 2 58 20
7 e Stockton Thunder 2 42 18
x - clinched playoff spot | y - clinched division | e - eliminated from playoff contention
GR - games remaining | ROW - regulation + OT wins (first tiebreaker)
UPCOMING GAMES:
ALASKA ACES (2): vs. Ontario (2)
UTAH GRIZZLIES (2): at Colorado (2)
FINAL STATS: Box score | AUDIO: Game highlights (KFQD) | GOAL: Walters (KFQD)
NEXT GAME
The Aces return to play Friday against the Ontario Reign, opening the final three-game series of the regular season at 7:15 p.m. (GCI/KFQD). Tickets are available by visiting www.alaskaaces.com/tickets, phoning (907) 258-2237, visiting the Aces Store (15th & Gambell) or local Fred Meyer locations. All Aces fans in attendance are encouraged to wear blue.
Troy Redmann and Olkinuora turned the first period into a goaltending duel and pushed a scoreless tie into the first intermission. Olkinuora stopped a Bryan Cameron one-timer, wide open at the left circle, while Redmann turned away a tough deflection by Garry Nunn with two minutes left in the period.
Blackwater's first of two goals, on a five-on-three situation, broke the tie at 3:05 of the second period when he finished a rebound at the right circle. Redmann followed up with a magnificent shorthanded stop on Maxim Kitsyn's breakaway and the Aces capitalized.
Bryan Cameron and Chris Francis exchanged feeds along the perimeter on a power play, and Francis' one-timer caught Walters, setting a screen at the net, for a 1-1 tie at 9:28 of the period.
Just 3:23 later, Blackwater restored the Ontario lead on a loose puck at the net, after Kyle Bigos fired a muffin at the net that drilled through traffic.
With the Aces battling penalty issues, Brendan Connnolly was sprung for a breakaway early in the third period, but a fanned shot kept Ontario ahead. Seconds after Josh Brittain missed wide on an empty net, Matt Register gathered the re-routed puck and hammered a shot off traffic for a power play goal, 3:38 into the period for a 3-1 lead.
Gasper Kopitar then took Everett Sheen's centering pass and flipped a backhanded deke over Redmann's blocker at 12:57 for a 4-1 lead.
Redmann took the loss on 24 saves.
NOTES: The Aces scratched Nilan Nagy, Curt Gogol, Ryan Tesink, Slater Doggett, Justin Breton, Evan Renwick and Brad Gorham ... Walters joined Connolly, Chris Francis, Greg Wolfe and Olivier Archambault to reach 20 goals ... the Aces' 43 shots marked the seventh occasion in the last eight games they have fired 30 shots or more ... the Aces went 1-of-6 on the power play.
For Kelly Cup championship merchandise, 2014-15 season tickets, corporate sponsorship packages, and more information, please call 907-258-ACES. The Aces can also be visited on Facebook at www.facebook.com/alaskaaceshockey or on Twitter, @AlaskaAces.
Three Stars:
1. ONT - J. Blackwater
2. ONT - J. Olkinuora
3. ONT - M. Register
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