Alaska heading to Pacific finals

Published on April 10, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


SAN DIEGO – Mark Smith and Joe Talbot scored twice as Alaska built a 3-0 lead after the first period and never looked back in a 5-1 romp over San Diego before a sell-out and season-high crowd of 6,451 at Sullivan Arena.

The Aces advance to the Pacific Division Finals and play either Idaho or Las Vegas, who took a 2-0 series lead over the Steelheads with a 3-2 win at Orleans Arena Friday night. A frenzied atmosphere permeated throughout Sullivan Arena, beginning more than two hours before the opening face-off, which was delayed 10 minutes in order to accommodate late-arriving fans jamming the upper reaches of the building.

Chris Lipsett opened the scoring at 7:13 of the first period with a steal at the San Diego blue line and a quick dish to Smith, who beat beleaguered Gulls goalie Trevor Koenig from between the circles. Talbot scored his first of the night despite being hogtied by Brian Gornick, flipping a backhander top shelf over Koenig's right shoulder at 14:47 for a 2-0 lead. Smith's second of the evening completed the first period scoring less than two minutes later, assisted by Lipsett and Garrett Prosofsky, each of whom had two helpers.

Dan Murphy dominated the second period, stopping all 10 shots he faced while the Aces managed just four in a scoreless frame. His bid for a shutout ended 51 seconds into the third period, but Talbot put the game away with his fourth goal of the playoffs at 9:22 after a steal and a perfect feed from Linglet, who leads Alaska in scoring with seven points (2g-5a) in the playoffs, including the game-winning goal in OT in Game Two. Their linemate, Kimbi Daniels, applied the coup de grace with an empty-netter at 18:32 to account for the final margin. Murphy finished with 26 saves and clearly outplayed Koenig, who had lost just two of his last 30 starts entering the postseason. Murphy completed the first round with a .946 save percentage while the two-time Taylor Cup winner Koenig bowed out of the playoffs having stopped just 55 of 67 shots (.821).

In sweeping the Gulls, three games to none, the Aces reversed the outcome of the 1997 Taylor Cup Finals in the old WCHL, a four game broom job by San Diego. The series marked the first time ever that the Gulls had been eliminated in the first round of the postseason, and also the end of Steve Martinson's reign at the helm of San Diego, which included five WCHL titles.

Alaska and its coach, Davis Payne (now 4-0 in first round playoff series) will have to wait for its next opponent, the winner of the other Pacific Division semi-final, but Game One of the Pacific Division Finals has been set for Friday, April 16. The game will be played either at Sullivan Arena at 7:00 p.m. against Las Vegas or in Boise against the Idaho Steelheads at 5:00 p.m. AST.

Alaska games are broadcast live on 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. For all playoff-related inquiries, as well as information pertaining to the purchase of 2004-05 season tickets, please call 258-ACES.

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