Alaska holds off Phoenix, back in first-place tie

March 29, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Making his first start in 16 days, Mike Brown showed little rust, shutting out Phoenix for more than 56 minutes and finishing with 34 saves in a 3-2 Alaska win over the Roadrunners before 5,851 Friday.

The victory by the Aces, who are now 19-4 in their last 23 outings, creates a three-team logjam atop the West Division, with Victoria (6-3 losers at Bakersfield), Idaho (4-3 winners at Stockton), and Alaska (40-23-5 overall) all deadlocked at 85 points. The Salmon Kings have a game in hand on the Aces and two in hand on the Steelheads. Alaska opens a three-game series at Victoria to close out the regular season next Wednesday.

Kimbi Daniels led off Friday's scoring with his 25th of the year, a wrist shot that actually was tipped in by a Phoenix player at 12:13 of the first period. Matt Shasby set up Josh Soares for a shorthanded goal with seven tenths of a second remaining in the frame, and the Aces owned a 2-0 edge at the break. Now with at least a point in each of his last 13 games, Soares has scored in eight of his last nine games and is tied for fourth in the league with 35 goals.

Matt Robinson ripped a one-timer past 'Runners goalie Taylor Dakers at 8:25 of the second period, assisted by F.P. Guenette (one of his two helpers), and Alaska continued to sail along deep into the third period, when after failing to convert a five-on-three, the hosts gave up a shorthanded goal in a five-on-four situation, as former Ace Gino Guyer's shot caromed off Brown's pads directly to Taylor Christie, who ended the shutout bid with 3:21 left in regulation. A tip in by Sean O'Connor with 5.6 seconds remaining brought Phoenix within a goal, but Vladimir Novak won the ensuing center ice face-off to secure the victory, Alaska's 10th in its last 11 games at home. Brown has won nine of 11 decisions since joining the club January 31.

The Aces, now 9-1 against the Roadrunners at Sullivan Arena and 16-3-1 overall over three seasons, wrap up their home schedule tomorrow in a rematch with Phoenix (22-37-9) at 7:15 p.m. ADT. All Alaska games are broadcast live on AM 750 KFQD, with coverage beginning 15 minutes prior to the opening face-off.



ECHL Stories from March 29, 2008


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