Aces Take Three of Four from Victoria
February 16, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Lance Galbraith scored three times as Alaska built a 5-0 lead in front of J.P. Lamoureux (35 saves) and cruised to a 5-2 win over Victoria in front of 4,187 Sunday at Sullivan Arena.
The Aces took three of four games from the Salmon Kings this week and six of seven in Anchorage, securing the season series in the process with an 8-5 record against the West Division leaders this season. Victoria's lead in the division, once 12 points as recently as January 14, has been sliced to three by Alaska, owners of the league's best home record at 20-6-1.
For the third straight night, neither club scored in the first period, and after being out-shot 14-6 in the opening 20 minutes, the Salmon Kings fired the first eight shots on goal in the second, but failed to beat Lamoureux. Alaska's first shot came more than seven minutes into the frame and was re-directed behind Todd Ford by Colin Hemingway, who tipped in a drive from Derick Martin for his team-leading 18th goal of the season. Galbraith followed with a perfect backhand redirection that found the upper right corner of the net off the rush at 11:54, and the Aces led 2-0.
Galbraith pounced on a loose rebound in the crease for his second goal with 4:41 left in the period, and when Scott Burt scored on a wrist shot from between the circles barely a minute later, Alaska had scored four goals on eight shots to turn the game into a rout. Galbraith completed the hat trick just 2:08 into the final period, but any hopes for a league-leading sixth shutout for Lamoureux were doused only 41 seconds later when Chris St. Jacques deflected a shot by Travis Ramsey past the rookie netminder. Tim Wedderburn's second goal of the season with 13:20 left in regulation accounted for the final margin.
Sunday marked the first time in Alaska's previous 12 games and only the second time in the last 20 that the Aces (30-19-3 overall) had been involved in a contest decided by more than two goals. Alaska has completed its season series with both Victoria (30-17-6) and third-place Idaho. The Salmon Kings and the Steelheads, meanwhile, meet six times down the stretch.
The Aces return to action Saturday against Phoenix at 5:05 p.m., their first game of the season against the Roadurnners. The teams will play seven games against one another in March. Alaska also plays next Sunday in Ontario at 4:00 p.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 24 in Bakersfield at 6:00 p.m. All three games on the road trip will be broadcast live on KFQD AM 750, with Peanut Farm Pre-Game Show coverage getting underway 15 minutes prior to face-off.
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