Byram, St. Pierre Too Much for Anchorage

March 23, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


BAKERSFIELD, California – The Bakersfield Condors jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead and cruised past Anchorage 5-1 in front of 6,230 Saturday at Centennial Garden.

Bakersfield came out smoking in the first period, scoring on three of its last six shots against Anchorage goaltender Christian Soucy and holding an 18-8 edge overall in that department. Paul Willett put the Condors on the board with a backhander at 11:26. Paul Rosebush followed by tapping home a rebound at 16:39, and after a turnover, Shawn Byram walked in unmolested and flipped a backhander past Soucy's glove for a commanding 3-0 lead with 53 seconds left in the opening frame.

A wild second period featured 56 minutes in penalties and three ejections, with each team having a five-minute power play opportunity. Bakersfield failed to capitalize on its chance and perhaps seal the win, while Anchorage scored at the tail end of its power play, courtesy of Dean Larson, who took a pass from B.J. Young and buried his 27th of the year at 12:04 to cut the Condor edge to 3-1 entering the final 20 minutes.

The Aces failed to take advantage of another two-man advantage early in the third, and Wes Swinson pushed the margin back to 4-1 at 2:30 with the Condors on the power play. Anchorage never recovered, and Byram capped the scoring exactly nine minutes later with his second goal of the night after a penalty shot was called for the first time in the West Coast Hockey League this season. The two teams combined for 83 shots on goal and 111 penalty minutes. Bakersfield goalie Kevin St. Pierre finished with 37 saves, including 18 in the second period.

Anchorage (20-43-3 overall, 8-4-1 under Perry Florio) will take the four-hour bus ride down to San Diego and arrive in time for a 4:00 p.m. AST date with the Gulls, who have dropped two in a row and fallen one point behind the Condors in the race for second place in the WCHL standings and the accompanying home ice advantage in the first round of the Taylor Cup playoffs. All games are broadcast live on KFQD 750 AM and at www.anchorageaces.com, with Jack Michaels calling the play-by-play. Coverage begins 20 minutes prior to the opening face-off, presented by GCI.



ECHL Stories from March 23, 2003


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