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Falcons Fall to Aces

November 5, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fresno Falcons News Release


FRESNO, Calif. – The Anchorage Aces used a pair of third period goals to rally for a 4-3 victory over the Fresno Falcons Monday evening. The Aces, coming into Selland Arena with a seven game losing streak and the fewest points in the WCHL, rallied for the final three goals of the game to overcome a two-goal deficit midway through the second period. Three different Falcons found the back of the net in the losing effort.

After a lackluster start to the game, the Falcons broke out 11 minutes into the contest when they scored a pair of shorthanded goals just 39 seconds apart. Austin de Luis netted the first when Drew Schoneck sprung him for a clean breakaway as he beat Aces netminder Christian Soucy for the 1-0 lead. Iain Fraser tallied the second shorthanded goal, as his unassisted goal was his first goal in a Falcons sweater. Anchorage' s Yvan Corbin, who had a pair of goal on the night, chipped in his first goal of the night in the closing minutes of the opening frame to cut the Falcons lead to 2-1 heading into the second period.

The two teams traded goals in the second period over a span of 52 seconds. Mike Mathers put the Falcons up by two with his second goal of the season at the 11:50 mark of the period, only to see that two-goal cushion evaporate at the hands of Aces forward Don Martin, who fired one past Fresno goaltender Mark Gowan at the 12:42 mark.

Anchorage, trailing by one heading into the final period of play, tied the game at 3-3 midway through the third period when Corbin added his second goal of the night, converting a Fresno turnover into the equalizer. J.J. Wrobel knocked in the game winner four minutes later with his second goal of the year. The Falcons made a late push to try and tie the game, pulling Gowan out of the net for an extra attacker with over two minutes left, but couldn't manage to get one past Soucy.

For the first time in six games, the Falcons outshot their opponent, this time 33-23 over the Aces. Fresno's power play finished the night scoreless in six chances while they managed to kill off five the Aces six power plays. Gowan made 19 saves on the evening while his counterpart Soucy stopped 30 shots.

The loss drops their record to 5-3-0 with 10 points, to remain in third place in the West Coast Hockey League standings, one point behind the San Diego Gulls for second place and five points behind the Idaho Steelheads.

The team will return to the ice on Friday, Nov. 8, when the Bakersfield Condors come into Selland Arena for a 7:30 p.m. rematch. Friday night's game will be the first game of Greg Spenrath Retirement Weekend. The first 1,500 fans Friday night will receive a Greg Spenrath t-shirt, compliments of Alpha Designs. The two teams will square off again Saturday night at 7:30 p.m., at which time Spenrath's #27 will be retired to the rafters of Selland Arena. The first 2,000 fans at Saturday night's game will receive a free Spenrath bobblehead courtesy of AT& T Wireless. Tickets are still available for both games at the Selland Arena box office, all Ticketmaster locations, or on-line at www.ticketmaster.com.

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