Aces sweep Utah in Anchorage, win fifth straight home game
December 22, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Alaska Aces (17-7-1, 35 points) ripped off four goals in the first and second period, ending with Anchorage native Brad Gorham's first career professional goal in an Aces 5-3 victory over the Utah Grizzlies before 4,586 fans at Sullivan Arena on Saturday night.
The Aces entered the holiday break winning their season high fifth straight game and benefited off a 26 save effort from Olivier Roy, who won his fourth straight. Ten Aces hit the scoresheet, led by Shawn Skelly's goal and two assists.
Roy and company withstood a third period rally by Utah and finished the regular season series at 5-1-0.
Kris Hogg jammed a rebound past Roy at 4:31 of the first period for a 1-0 edge, which was Utah's only lead of the game. The Aces followed with back to back power play strikes, beginning with Tommy Mele's sixth goal with 6:27 left on a finish at the goal mouth, set up by successive one-touch passes by Trupp and Skelly.
Tempers flared in the last minute of the period which gave the Aces a 5-on-3 situation. With five seconds left in the period, Skelly lifted the Aces to a 2-1 lead when he tucked Nick Mazzolini's post-to-post feed past Ben Meisner's blocker. But Utah answered with Teigan Zahn's shorthanded goal at 2:56 when he rescued Brent Gwidt's missed shot off the backboards and snuck the rebound past Roy's glove.
At the finish of a ferocious shift, Jordan Kremyr's eighth goal of the year put the Aces ahead, 3-2 with 5:35 left in the period when he flipped a rebound at the goal mouth past Meisner's blocker. Gorham, a former UAA defenseman, then hammered his first career goal past Meisner on a one-timer from the left circle, set up by Mathew Sisca, at 16:11 for a 4-2 cushion.
Vinny Scarsella was awarded his third goal of the year on a screen at the net, letting Channing Boe's slapshot through at 11:06 of the third period which cut the Aces lead to 4-3 on a power play tally. Utah continued to pound the Aces net, but Roy turned away several stops in the final minutes.
Ross Ring-Jarvi put the game away on an empty net goal from center ice with 1:11 left.
Meisner made 23 saves and took the loss.
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