Aces win 4-2 at Vegas, Clinch National Conference
April 9, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
LAS VEGAS â Matt Underhill stopped 50 shots and Scott Gomez had a goal and two assists as Alaska assured itself home ice advantage through the conference finals with a 4-2 win at Las Vegas Friday night at Orleans Arena.
By the time Alaska took the ice against Las Vegas following a 27-minute delay due to a faulty zamboni, the Aces already had wrapped up the conference title to go along with their West Division crown courtesy of Atlantic City, who beat Reading 3-2 to deny the Royals any shot at finishing first among the 16 teams in the National Conference. Alaska looked like a club with little on the line for the first 10 minutes, but after the Wranglers grabbed the lead at 12:55 on a goal by rookie Nick Anderson, the Aces responded quickly, as Mike Scott ripped a shot from the left circle by Vegas goalie Colin Zulianello for the equalizer just 16 seconds later.
Gomez started another second period outburst by Alaska (who has a league-best 85 goals in the middle frame this year) by rifling a shot toward Zulianello, which was tipped in by Chris Minard for the latter's 49th goal of the year at 1:36. Two minutes later, Gomez found Ryan Bast between the circles in a four-on-four situation, and the veteran defenseman made no mistake, snapping a wrister by Zulianello for a 3-1 bulge. Jon Krall's turnover in front of the Vegas net as he emerged from the zone gift-wrapped the 13th goal of the year for Gomez, who launched the puck just underneath the crossbar in one motion to extend the Aces lead to 4-1 at 9:09. Jeff Attard, who edged Minard to win the CCM Man of the Year award earlier this week, scored with 4:56 left in the middle frame to reduce Alaska's advantage to 4-2 entering the final 20 minutes.
Underhill took care of the final period, stopping all 16 shots he faced, giving him an Alaska season-high 50 for the game, as the Aces preserved that 4-2 margin despite being outshot 52-28, the most shots allowed by the team all season and tying for the biggest deficit in that department. He is now 3-0 in an Aces sweater with a 2.00 GAA and a .943 save percentage.
Alaska (45-18-8) can tie the club record for victories and reach 100 points with a win tomorrow against Las Vegas in the regular season finale for both clubs at 6:00 p.m. AST. All Aces games are broadcast live on KFQD 750 AM, with coverage beginning 20 minutes prior to the opening face-off. Tomorrow's game against the Wranglers, as well as all postseason tilts at Sullivan Arena also will be made available on a pay-per-view basis at www.alaskaaces.com, courtesy of B2 Networks. For additional 2005 Kelly Cup playoff information, please call 258-ACES.
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ECHL Stories from April 9, 2005
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