Sisca gets three points, Aces comeback effort runs out of time

Published on November 27, 2013 under ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - Mathew Sisca guided the Alaska Aces (11-4-0, 22 points) offense with two goals and an assist but the Colorado Eagles benefited from a key third period goal by Luke Fulghum to hold off the Aces, 4-3 before 5,289 fans at Budweiser Events Center on Wednesday.

The Aces, who nearly caught up to three separate two goal deficits, dropped only their second loss in the last ten games to Colorado to begin an eight game road trip. Trent Daavettila led Colorado with a goal and an assist while Marc Cheverie stopped two point-blank chances by Sisca in the final minute of regulation to secure a 25-save victory.

Colorado raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first period that also included an overturned goal for Peter Sivak, who was denied on a chance at the goal mouth in the opening minutes. Daavettila's goal at 8:15 opened the scoring on a sharp rebound off the end boards and Arthur Bidwill converted off the rush with 6:05 left for a 2-0 edge.

The Aces, following David Eddy's scrap with Arthur Bidwill, got back in the game when Sisca scored a beautiful goal off the rush. He cut to the left circle and buried a wrist shot over Cheverie's shoulder with 3:11 left for a one goal deficit in the first period.

Kyle Ostrow snuck a sharp angled wraparound bid off Olivier Roy's right pad at 4:48 of the second period but the Aces responded when Sisca wired a lengthy tape-to-tape pass to Brendan Connolly off the boards. Connolly got behind the Eagles defense at the right circle and buried a wrister through Cheverie's five hole for a 3-2 deficit with 4:03 left in the second period.

Fulghum's eighth goal, the eventual game winner, put Colorado ahead 4-2 at 6:23 of the third period on a wrist shot from the right circle. But Sisca's second goal of the game, on the power play, cut the gap to 4-3 at 10:11 when he finished a feed in front by Shawn Skelly that was set up by Brendan Connolly's cross-ice pass that threaded the Eagles penalty kill set-up.

Following Roy's timely stop on Fulghum in the last minutes, the Aces pulled Roy for a sixth attacker and nearly struck for the game tying goal twice in the final minute. Cheverie stopped Sisca's hat trick bid, on a backdoor pass at the left post, and denied Sisca again from between the circles with 20 seconds left in regulation.

Roy took the loss on 25 saves.

NOTES: The Aces scratched Zach Davies, Sean Curry, Andy Taranto, Tim Coffman and Eli Zuck ... the Aces fell to 16-4-0 lifetime vs. Colorado ... the Eagles led the game in shots, 29-28 ... the Aces went 1-of-4 on the power play and have a streak of eight straight games with a power play goal.

The two teams meet in a rematch on Friday in Colorado, starting at 5:05 p.m. (103.7 FM/750 AM KFQD). Season ticket and sponsorship packages are currently available through the Aces office at 15th & Gambell. For more information, please call the Aces at 907.258.ACES or visit them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/alaskaaceshockey.

Three Stars:

1. COL - L. Fulghum

2. COL - T. Daavettila

3. COL - J. Parker

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