Unlikely Hat Trick Leads to Aces Comeback Win
March 2, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Matt Stefanishion scored two shorthanded goals in a span of 45 seconds with seven minutes left in the game, turning a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 Alaska victory over Utah before 3,882 Sunday at Sullivan Arena.
The Aces have won four in a row overall and a 11 of their last 12 at home to take a three-point lead over Idaho and Victoria in the West Division. With four shorthanded goals in its last four games, Alaska, now a season-high 14 games over .500 at 34-20-3 overall, has surpassed its total of shorthanded goals over the first 53 games of its regular season (three).
After not having trailed in any of their three previous wins, the Aces never led until the closing minutes on Sunday, falling behind 1-0 after the first period on a goal by Utah's Will Bodine, normally a defenseman but playing forward as a result of a depleted Grizzlies lineup. Bodine nudged a rebound past Alaska goalie Kevin Nastiuk at the 8:08 mark.
Stefanishion's first goal of the night tied the game 1-1 at 5:25 of the second period and came on a one-timer blasted from the top of the right circle past Utah goalie Mike Mole's blocker. Rob Hennigar scored the first of his two goals to push the Grizzlies back in front, 2-1, with five minutes left in the period, but Nick Tuzzolino answered with 2:02 remaining in the period, hammering a one-timer off the rush by Mole to forge a 2-2 deadlock heading to the final stanza.
A sloppy Aces turnover in their own end led to Hennigar's second goal of the night at 2:54 of the third period, giving Utah its last lead at 3-2. A penalty to Colin Hemingway for tripping provided the visitors with an opportunity to extend the margin, but a turnover in the neutral zone led to a loose puck in the slot that Mole tried to poke-check away from Stefanishion, only to see the burly winger maintain possession and fire home the equalizer with 7:02 remaining in regulation. Shortly thereafter, with the Grizzlies still on the power play, their former captain, Scott Burt, broke in from the right side and fed Stefanishion for a one-timer from the left circle for the go-ahead goal.
Utah never seriously threatened to tie, and Nastiuk earned his second straight win in an Alaska uniform with 23 saves, while Mole dropped to 0-6 against the Aces this year despite 35 stops. Alaska will play host to Las Vegas next weekend for a three-game series that opens Friday and Saturday at 7:15 p.m. and wraps up with the Sunday finale at 5:05 p.m. The Aces own a 3-1 record against the Wranglers, who are winless in their last 10 games after an eight-game winning streak. All three games will be broadcast live on the flagship home of Alaska Aces hockey, KFQD AM 750.
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