Aces Swap Pszenyczny for ECHL All-Star Hemingway

February 12, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Alaska Aces have traded defenseman Dave Pszenyczny to the Reading Royals for ECHL all-star forward Brett Hemingway.

Hemingway scored six goals and assisted on 11 others in 24 games for Reading, earning a trip to the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game in Stockton, Calif., where he had a goal and two assists for the American Conference in a 10-7 loss to the Nationals. Originally drafted in the seventh round by the Colorado Avalanche in 2003, the 24-year-old Hemingway enrolled at the University of New Hampshire that year and earned all-rookie team honors in Hockey East. The 6-1, 190-pound rookie from Surrey, BC (the hometown of second-year Ace Matt Robinson) scored 22 goals as a sophomore and 19 more as a junior to lead the Wildcats, finishing his collegiate career with 134 points (61g-73a) in 150 games.

Hemingway began the year in Fresno, playing six of his 14 games in a Falcon uniform against the Aces (managing two assists as Fresno went 2-3-1 in those six match-ups). He was traded to Reading November 28 after scoring a total of seven points (4g-3a) in 14 games for the Falcons. Hemingway's older brother, Colin, had a goal and two assists for the Aces in five games during the 2005-06 season and also played three games for Alaska's NHL affiliate, the St. Louis Blues, that same year.

Pszenyczny had been acquired by the Aces from Phoenix December 14 in exchange for Gino Guyer. He had three assists in 22 games with a -8 rating and 43 PIM during his time with Alaska.

Goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu, 30-2-2 during his three years with the Aces, including 7-1 this season, is backing up Manny Legace tonight as St. Louis plays host to Los Angeles. He has yet to appear in an NHL game.

During Alaska's 5-3 victory over Idaho on Sunday, Olivier Filion, who had an empty-netter with 28 seconds left in regulation to secure the win, was honored as the Johnson's Tire Service Player of the Month for January. He scored five goals and assisted on eight others, including a shorthanded goal and three power play tallies. JTS, "more than just tires," has been a team sponsor since 2006.

The Aces (22-19-5), fresh off that victory over the defending Kelly Cup champions, travel to Stockton for two games this weekend against the Thunder, Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. AT and Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. AT, before heading to Fresno Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 6:00 p.m. Alaska returns home for a three-game series against Las Vegas Feb. 22-24, its first look at the Wranglers all season long. All regular season games are broadcast live on Alaska's flagship station, AM 750 KFQD, with coverage beginning 15 minutes prior to face-off.



ECHL Stories from February 12, 2008


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