Special Teams Earn Falcons a Point in Shootout Loss

Published on December 8, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Fresno Falcons News Release


ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Cory Murphy's goal with just more than five minutes remaining in regulation forced overtime before the Fresno Falcons fell to the Alaska Aces 4-3 in a shootout at Sullivan Arena.

Alaska opened the scoring late in the first just as a power play was all set to expire. Peter Metcalf took a shot from the point that never got to Fresno goaltender Brett Jaeger but deflected right to Ryan Gaucher, who chipped in the even strength goal at 17:21 to give the Aces a 1-0 lead after the first.

Alaska added to its lead just 44 seconds into the second when another initial shot never reached Jaeger only to land on the stick of Keith McCambridge, who lifted in his first goal of the season. The Falcons would storm back to tie the game with a pair of power play goals skating five-on-three. Murphy and Luke Curtin combined twice to find J.F. Plourde back door who hammered home his eighth and ninth goals of the season 47 seconds apart at 13:06 and 13:53 to send the game to the third tied at two.

The Aces, which skated on 12 power plays during the game, finally converted for the only time with the extra man on their 10th opportunity. Gaucher's shot from the point was deflected top-shelf by Alaska's leading goal-scorer Chris Minard at 12:42 to give the ECHL's hottest team another one-goal edge.

Fresno responded with its third power play marker of the evening. Cory Murphy looked to feed Pete Fregoe at the side of the net but instead put a shot on goal that snuck past Alaska netminder Chris Beckford-Tseu to knot the game at three with 5:06 remaining and eventually force the extra session.

Neither club scored in overtime, and Beckford-Tseu slammed the door shut on all five Falcons skaters he faced in the shootout. Minard slipped one five-hole past Jaeger that proved the difference, giving the Aces the 4-3 shootout win and keeping alive their team-record nine-game win streak.

With the shootout point, the Falcons continue to lead the Pacific Division standings with a record of 10-4-5 and 25 points.

The Falcons and Aces square-off for the third game in a row on Friday at Sullivan Arena. The game may be viewed live on-line on a pay-per-view basis courtesy of B2 Networks, which can be accessed via the team's website at www.fresnofalcons.com. The radio broadcast will be tape delayed beginning at approximately 10 p.m. on 1550 Sporting News Radio.

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