Aces Swept by Victoria

Published on December 20, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


Victoria, BC, Canada - Despite scoring first, receiving goals from all three scoring lines, and killing seven Victoria power plays, the Aces fell 5-3 to the Salmon Kings Saturday in front of 4,627 at the Save-On Foods Memorial Centre, giving the hosts a sweep of the three-game series.

Alaska will take a four-game losing streak into the Christmas Break, returning to action next Saturday at Las Vegas. The Aces have dropped nine of their last 14 games overall, and eight of the previous 11 decided by two goals or less. With Idaho's victory over Bakersfield, Alaska (16-11-1) dips to third place in the West Division, seven points behind first-place Victoria, which claimed its eighth straight win.

The Aces seized an early 1-0 lead at 2:16 of the first period when Lance Galbraith intercepted a clearing pass and fed Vladimir Novak, whose wrist shot from the right circle beat Todd Ford, who had shut Alaska out, 4-0, on Friday. Galbraith later left the game with a lower body injury and is considered day-to-day. The Salmon Kings tied the game when Sean Landolt flicked home a rebound at 6:49 of the opening frame and took their first lead when Wes Goldie ripped a one-timer past Aces goalie Jean-Philippe Lamoureux less than two minutes later.

Alaska stormed back to regain the lead in the second period on goals by Erik Fabian at 3:14 and Bryan Miller four minutes later. Fabian's third goal of the year came on a loose puck in front that he lifted over a prostrate Ford and Miller's first goal in seven games, assisted by Colin Hemingway and Cam Keith, came on a slapshot from the right circle.

The game turned in Victoria's favor when Derick Martin was ruled to have hooked Chris St. Jacques on his way toward Lamoureux and a penalty shot was first awarded, then converted, when St. Jacques tossed a backhander just underneath the crossbar with 5:23 left in the middle frame. The Salmon Kings grabbed the lead for good only 94 seconds into the third period, when Patrick Coulombe's centering pass inadvertently deflected off Alaska forward Jordan Foreman and behind Lamoureux, who finished with 30 saves in losing for the seventh time in his last nine starts. An empty-netter by Goldie, his fifth goal of the series and league-leading 24th of the year, in the game's final minute accounted for the final score.

The Aces had just two power plays, failing to score each time, and are 1-for-31 over the last six games. The penalty kill, however, has erased 43 of the last 44 power plays for the opposition. Alaska will practice in Las Vegas on December 26 after the Wranglers play Phoenix in preparation for the the game on December 27, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at Orleans Arena. The Aces, who swept the Wranglers in a two-game set in Anchorage to open the regular season, play Las Vegas again the next day at 1:05 p.m. Peanut Farm Pre-Game Show coverage on KFQD AM 750 will start 15 minutes prior to the opening face-off next Saturday and Sunday.

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