Payne officially named All-Star Coach, Beckford-Tseu returns
January 4, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - By virtue of leading Alaska to the best record in the National Conference as of January 3, Aces head coach Davis Payne has earned his third trip to the ECHL All-Star Game, scheduled for January 25 in Fresno, Calif.
A 5-3 Las Vegas loss to Utah December 31 actually clinched a spot for Payne, whose winning percentage of .804 this season edged Glen Gulutzan of the Wranglers, who ended up being selected anyway as a result of his winning percentage and a vote among conference coaches. Payne previously represented Alaska and the Western Conference at the 2004 ECHL classic in Peoria, Ill. as well as the Pee Dee Pride and the Southern Conference in 2002 at Estero, Fla. Last year, he led the Aces to the club's first ever division title and a conference-best 98 points before bowing out in Game Seven of the conference finals to eventual Kelly Cup champion Trenton.
Also Wednesday, the ECHL announced that Chris Minard finished runner-up for the league's Player of the Week award after scoring six goals, two in all three games, as the Aces took two of three from Victoria at home last weekend to secure the best winning percentage in the National Conference and a spot behind the bench at the All-Star Game for their head coach. Minard also assisted on two goals and scored the game-winner in a 4-0 whitewash of the Salmon Kings last Wednesday. He now shares the league lead with 25 goals on the season, including eight in his last four games and 16 in his previous 11.
Alaska (21-4-3 overall) opens an eight-game, 11-day road trip tonight against the 13-11-4 San Diego Gulls in the newly christened ipayone center at 6:05 p.m. AST before heading to Phoenix for its first look at the Roadrunners Thursday at 5:11 p.m. AST in another building with a brand new name, the US Airways Center, formerly the America West Arena. ECHL All-Star goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu should arrive shortly before game time tonight and will back up Matt Underhill this evening after being sent down by Alaska's AHL affiliate in Peoria, where he started and won a game last Saturday.
All Alaska Aces games, home and away, are broadcast live on KFQD AM 750 and at www.alaskaaces.com. In addition, all home games and selected road contests will be available on a pay-per-view basis on the internet, courtesy of B2 Networks.
ECHL Stories from January 4, 2006
- Alaska Doubles-Up Gulls, 4-2 - San Diego Gulls
- Aces win in San Diego, 4-2 - Alaska Aces
- Checkers' fast start, strong finish downs Columbia, 5-2 - Charlotte Checkers
- King James Crowned as First Condor in NHL - Bakersfield Condors
- Thunder Swoops Up Steve L'Ecuyer - Stockton Thunder
- Backpack Giveaway This Saturday Versus Alaska - Bakersfield Condors
- Royals' Coach Karl Taylor To Lead American Conference All-Stars - Reading Royals
- Bakersfield's McHugh Fined, Suspended Three Games - ECHL
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Steelheads' Zion heading to Europe - Idaho Steelheads
- Fresno's Murphy Fined, Suspended Two Games - ECHL
- ECHL Honors Utah's Kinasewich - Utah Grizzlies
- Weiman Named Runner-Up For Goalie Of The Week Honors - San Diego Gulls
- Grizzlies' Kinasewich Named In Glas Co ECHL Player Of The Week - ECHL
- Phoenix's Henley Fined, Suspended Two Games - ECHL
- Pensacola's Later Fined, Suspended One Game - ECHL
- Pyle Named ECHL All Star Coach for third Consecutive Year - Atlanta Gladiators
- Fields named ECHL Goalie of the Week for December 26th through 31st - Atlanta Gladiators
- San Diego Opens Homestand Against Red-Hot Aces - San Diego Gulls
- Wranglers' All-Star Hambly heading back to Omaha - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Payne officially named All-Star Coach, Beckford-Tseu returns - Alaska Aces
- Stingrays Grab Andersson From Stockton - South Carolina Stingrays
- RoadRunners' Pecker Inks Contract With Binghamton - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Payne, Gulutzan Are National Conference Coaches, Taylor, Pyle Will Coach American Conference - ECHL
- Wranglers' Gulutzan to coach All-Star Team - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Gladiators' Fields Named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender Of The Week - ECHL
- Bombers Add Forward - Dayton Bombers
- ECHL Game of the Week - ECHL
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Ice Pilots Lose to Florida - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Checkers Remain Undefeated Against Stingrays - Charlotte Checkers
- Royals Western Swing Goes Perfect - Reading Royals
- Royals End Wranglers' Home Streak - Las Vegas Wranglers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
