Cavalry Arrives In Alaska

February 4, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


ANCHORAGE, Alaska - With the deadline to add players actively competing in Europe rapidly approaching, the Alaska Aces have signed defensemen Ed Hill and Derick Martin as well as forward Michael Lambert for the remainder of the 2007-08 season.

The 26-year-old Martin actually completes a deal going all the way back to November 18, 2006, when the Aces shipped the ECHL rights to 2006 scoring champ Alex Leavitt to Texas in exchange for Gino Guyer (since traded to Phoenix) and future considerations, which turned out to be Martin, who had been playing in Strasbourg, France. The fourth-year pro, who checks in at six feet, 185 pounds, has appeared in 22 playoff games, including 10 last year in Texas, where he helped lead the Wildcatters to the South Division Finals. Martin played three years in the QMJHL and two more at St. Mary's University (CIS) before turning pro.

Hill, 27, had been spending his seventh professional season in Germany after playing for five different ECHL teams and three AHL clubs over his first six years. Originally drafted in the second round with the 61st overall pick in 1999 by the Nashville Predators, the 6-4, 218-pounder fills the "veteran" (260 or more pro games played) spot vacated by Barrett Heisten, who retired last Monday. Hill registered 24 points (8g-16a) in 40 regular season games with Utah in 2006, a club that was swept by Alaska in the first round of the playoffs that year. He also has played a portion of four seasons in the AHL, appearing in five playoff games for Lowell (Mass.) in his rookie year back in 2002.

Like Hill, the 6-3, 220-pound Lambert (pronounced Lam-BEAR) had been playing in Germany prior to agreeing to terms with the Aces, whom he played against as a member of the Long Beach Ice Dogs between 2004-06. He scored five playoff goals and assisted on another for the 2005 club that was swept in three straight games by Alaska in that year's West Division Finals. Originally drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the fourth round with the 99th overall pick in 2002, Lambert won a Calder Cup last year with Montreal's NHL affiliate in Hamilton, scoring four points (2g-2a) in 14 playoff games for the Bulldogs and starting all five games in the Finals as Hamilton beat Hershey four games to one to claim the AHL championship. Along the way, Lambert (who will turn 24 March 10) notched the game-winning goal in overtime to beat Chicago in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals. He was a teammate of Alaska captain Matt Shasby on both the Ice Dogs and the Bulldogs during the 2004-05 campaign.

The Aces (21-17-5), who snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over Utah Saturday, will return to practice tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. in preparation for a three-game series against the defending Kelly Cup champion Idaho Steelheads at Sullivan Arena weekend. Friday and Saturday's games start at 7:15 p.m., while Sunday's series finale begins at 5:05 p.m. and features the Fred Meyer post-game "Skate with the Aces." All regular season games are broadcast live on Alaska's flagship station, AM 750 KFQD, with coverage beginning 15 minutes prior to face-off.



ECHL Stories from February 4, 2008


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