Davis Payne named ECHL Coach of the Year, playoff roster set
April 9, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Davis Payne has been awarded the 2006-07 John Brophy Award, presented annually to the ECHL coach recognized as having contributed the most to his team's success in a vote of league coaches.
The ECHL Coach of the Year award honors John Brophy, who won a record three ECHL championships during his long and distinguished career behind the bench. For the second straight year, Alaska became the first team to clinch a spot in the Kelly Cup playoffs, and for the third consecutive season, the Aces rolled to the West Division title. Despite having come up one point shy in their bid to become the first team ever to win back-to-back Brabham Cups with the best regular season record, the Aces still have won a staggering 76% of their games over the last two seasons under the 36-year-old Payne.
Having just finished his four year behind the Alaska bench, Payne owns a 185-75-28 regular season record with the Aces and a 289-142-45 mark overall in his seven years as a head coach, including three with the Pee Dee Pride between 2000-03. His playoff record of 41-29 includes a trip to the conference finals in 2005 and the 2006 Kelly Cup, when the Aces became only the second team in ECHL history to win both the Brabham and Kelly Cups in the same season.
Today, Alaska announced its playoff roster would be set at 22, including forwards Hans Benson and Ryan MacMurchy, both of whom have been returned by the club's AHL affiliate in Peoria, defenseman Patrick Wellar, re-assigned by the Aces NHL affiliate in St. Louis, and Stephen Wood, re-assigned by the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL. The roster does not include forward Jason Bloomingburg, who scored his first professional goal in Saturday's 6-2 win over Utah, defenseman Steven Later, and goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu.
Alaska (49-16-7 during the regular season) opens defense of its 2006 Kelly Cup title tonight against Victoria at 7:15 p.m. Game Two also will be in Anchorage, scheduled for tomorrow night at 7:15 p.m. The series shifts to Victoria, BC for Games Three and Four on Thursday and Friday night at 6:00 p.m. ADT. The Aces went 9-1-1 against the Salmon Kings this season, including a perfect 5-0 mark at Sullivan Arena, but have not seen Victoria since pulling off a three-game sweep in Anchorage back in mid-January. The Salmon Kings enter the playoffs on a nine-game winning streak and have lost just six of their last 31 games. All playoff games will be broadcast live on the flagship home of Aces hockey, KFQD 750 AM, and all road playoff games will be simulcast on GCI Cable Channel 1. Tickets for all 2007 Kelly Cup playoff games are now available at the Aces offices on 15th and Gambell as well as at participating Fred Meyer locations or by logging onto www.alaskaaces.com.
#2 Alaska vs. #7 Victoria: (all times AT)
Game 1: at Alaska - tonight, 7:15 p.m.
Game 2: at Alaska - tomorrow night, 7:15 p.m.
Game 3: at Victoria - April 12, 6:00 p.m.
Game 4: at Victoria - April 13, 6:00 p.m.
Game 5: at Victoria - April 14, 6:00 p.m. *
Game 6: at Alaska - April 16, 7:15 p.m. *
Game 7: at Alaska - April 17, 7:15 p.m. *
*If necessary
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