Aces win 4-1, clinch winning season
March 20, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. â Mark Smith, playing with new linemate Garrett Prosofsky, erupted for a hat trick and Dan Murphy stopped 33 of 34 shots as Alaska cruised past Charlotte 4-1 before 4,952 Saturday night at Cricket Arena.
Alaska pounced on Charlotte early, taking a two-goal lead into the first intermission for the first time since February 8. Garrett Prosofsky, making his debut for the Aces, assisted on Smith's first goal at 9:08. Six minutes later, Bret DeCecco fired home a loose puck in front to push the margin to 2-0. No penalties were called in the opening frame, and Murphy, who had lost five straight since beating Idaho in Boise February 25, turned in 11 first period saves.
Smith scored again on another Alaska rush at 4:08 of the second period, with Prosofsky and Kimbi Daniels (who won an ECHL championship while playing for Charlotte in 1996) once again providing the assists. The 3-0 lead was short-lived, however, as Charlotte drew within two goals when Mike Hartman scored off his own rebound only 48 seconds later. The goal energized the Checkers to the point where they enjoyed several flurries for the remainder of the period, but Murphy's 13 stops in the middle frame helped preserve the 3-1 spread entering the third.
The Aces killed off a four-minute Charlotte power play early in the final period, and that seemed to drain most of the life out of the home team. When the Checkers pulled their goaltender late in the game in a desperate attempt to get two quick goals and force overtime, that allowed Alaska the opportunity for a potential hat trick, and sure enough, Prosofsky passed up an easy goal in favor of dishing to Smith, who deposited his 23rd goal of the year (in only 41 games played) with 26 seconds remaining to account for the final margin.
The win clinched the first winning season for the Aces in five years, when the 1999 squad finished 46-22-3. Alaska (34-26-5) wraps up its three-games-in-three-nights-in-three-cities stretch tomorrow at Greenville at 11:05 a.m. in a tilt that will be broadcast live on Alaska's flagship station, KFQD 750 AM, as well as www.alaskaaces.com, with Jack Michaels calling the play-by-play. Coverage begins 20 minutes prior to the opening face-off, presented by GCI.
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ECHL Stories from March 20, 2004
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