Aces yield four unanswered goals, drop series opener

January 15, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - Kyle Kraemer, Taylor Vause and Trent Daavettila combined for nine points to help the Colorado Eagles skate away from the Alaska Aces, 5-1 before 5,289 fans at Budweiser Events Center on Wednesday.

Raphael Bussieres scored the lone Aces goal in the first period and Colorado posted four unanswered goals, stretching into the second period to take the season series opener. Troy Redmann won his second game in as many starts with 30 saves, while Niklas Lundstrom took the loss on 19 stops.

The Aces, skating with 15 players, limited looks at their own net and took an edge in shots, 5-1 in the opening minutes. But Kraemer, making his season debut following activation off the 21-day injured reserve, lifted the Eagles to a 1-0 lead at 12:19 on a wrister from the left circle after the Aces killed a Corbin Baldwin penalty.

Bussieres leveled the game at 1-1 with 3:33 remaining in the period on his sharp angled shot from the left side that snuck by Redmann. But with 41 seconds to play, Vause converted on his 10th goal of the season on a walk out to the left circle, and the complexion of the game changed with Colorado scoring in the first minute of the second period.

Kraemer's second goal of the game came 17 seconds after the opening face-off, batting a loose puck out of mid-air for a 3-1 lead and Colin Joe finished a backdoor feed from Brock Nixon at 4:17 for a 4-1 bulge. Trent Daavettila finished a rebound at the goal mouth for a power play goal at 12:53, finishing the scoring at a 5-1 lead which also chased Lundstrom for backup Aaron Crandall.

Crandall stopped all eight shots he saw in the third period.

NOTES: The Aces scratched Justin Johnson, Ryan Tesink, Brad Gorham and Colten Hayes ... the Aces fell to 20-8-2 in the head-to-head series, lifetime ... Colorado led the game in shots, 34-31 ... Chris Francis led the Aces with seven shots in goal.

The two teams will meet again in a rematch on Friday, beginning at 5:05 p.m. (KFQD/ECHL.TV) at Budweiser Events Center.

For Kelly Cup championship merchandise, 2014-15 season tickets, corporate sponsorship packages, and more information, please call 907-258-ACES. The Aces can also be visited on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/alaskaaceshockey.

Three Stars:

1. COL - K. Kraemer

2. COL - T. Vause

3. COL - T. Daavettila



ECHL Stories from January 15, 2015


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