Aces sweep Grizz, 5-1
Published on December 1, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - On a night when 4,517 at Sullivan Arena honored former captain B.J. Young before the game, the Alaska Aces proceeded to turn in their best performance of the season, limiting Utah to just 13 shots in a 5-1 victory that moved them into sole possession of second place in the West Division.
The Aces held a moment of silence for Young, who captained the team in 2003 and played a key role on last year's West champions, prior to Wednesday's game after being informed earlier in the day that the 28-year-old Anchorage native had died in a single-car accident in Vancouver, B.C. He is survived by his wife, Danielle, and son, Tyson.
Perhaps still dazed by the stunning news, Alaska (11-3-2 overall, 9-1-1 at home) was caught in a bad change early in the first period and Jeff Miles connected with a long strike to Ryan Kinasewich, who beat Aces goalie Chris Beckford-Tseu five-hole on the ensuing breakaway at 3:36. But Alaska quickly recovered, tying the game on a power play goal by Olivier Filion off the rush with 9:32 left in the period. The Aces never looked back, completely dominating the final two periods, scoring four more unanswered goals and out-shooting the Grizzlies 29-6 over the game's last 40 minutes.
Utah goalie Justin Eddy gamely kept the visitors in the game until Ryan Gaucher beat him with a howitzer from between the circles with 5:19 left in the period and Alaska on another power play. The goal marked Gaucher's second game-winner in as many nights and the fourth straight game in which the Aces scored twice with the man advantage. Metcalf fooled Eddy with a backhander two and a half minutes later for his fifth goal of the year, but the Grizzlies netminder froze the score at 3-1 until the game's last three minutes, when two players who grew up with Young in Anchorage got into the act. Louis Mass blasted a slap shot by Eddy for his first goal of the season at 16:57, and Barrett Heisten notched his team-leading 10th of the year two minutes later to account for the final margin.
Alaska, coming off a 10-game stretch against exclusively West Division contenders, travels tomorrow and faces three-games-in-three-nights against the top two teams in the Pacific Division, beginning with Long Beach Friday at 6:30 p.m. ADT. The Aces and Ice Dogs square off again Saturday at 6:00 p.m. before Alaska concludes its quick trip with the first of four consecutive games against Pacific leader Fresno at the Save-Mart Center Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ADT.
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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