Alaska Aces win second ECHL Kelly Cup championship
Published on May 21, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release
PRINCETON, N.J. - The Alaska Aces won the team's second Kelly Cup championship on Saturday with a 5-3 win over the Kalamazoo Wings at Wings Stadium. Alaska wins the series 4 games to 1.
After a scoreless first period, Kalamazoo got on the scoreboard first as Brian McGuirk tallied 2:58 into the second period. Alaska answered just 32 seconds later when Steve Ward notched his first goal of the playoffs to tie the score.
The Aces took their first lead of the night at 13:54 on a Chris Langkow power-play goal, but saw the K-Wings respond quickly as A.J. Thelen pulled Kalamazoo even at 15:51.
Alaska regained the lead late in the period when Chad Anderson registered his second postseason goal at 18:53.
Langkow scored his second goal of the game at 14:29 of the third period to extend Alaska's lead to 4-2, but Kalamazoo answered right back on a Trent Daavettila tally at 16:01 to make it 4-3.
But, just 28 seconds after Daavettila's tally, Alaska's Curtis Fraser found the back of the net to restore the Aces two-goal lead.
Aces' goaltender Gerald Coleman recorded the win in goal with 27 saves to finish the Kelly Cup Playoffs with an 11-1 record.
Alaska went 12-1 during the postseason, setting a new ECHL record for fewest losses in a single postseason. The previous record was two, shared by three teams (Toledo in 1994, Hampton Roads in 1992 and Greensboro in 1990).
The Aces become the sixth team in the ECHL's 23-year history to win multiple championships joining Hampton Roads (1991, 1992 and 1998), South Carolina (1997, 2001 and 2009), Cincinnati (2008 and 2010), Idaho (2004 and 2007) and Toledo (1993 and 1994).
Aces' captain Scott Burt joins Jared Bednar as the only individuals to win three Kelly Cups. Burt is the first to win three Kelly Cups as a player. Bednar won titles as a player with South Carolina in 1997 and 2001 and was the Stingrays' head coach for their 2009 championship.
ECHL Stories from May 21, 2011
- Howes named Most Valuable Player of Kelly Cup Playoffs - ECHL
- Alaska Aces win second ECHL Kelly Cup championship - ECHL
- Alaska Wins Kelly Cup With 5-3 Win - Alaska Aces
- Aces Defeat K-Wings in Game Five, Win Series Four Games to One - Kalamazoo Wings
- Wings Countdown to Face-Off The Aces - Kalamazoo Wings
- ECHL Today - May 21 - ECHL
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