Victoria wins goaltenders' duel, West title at stake tomorrow
April 5, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
VICTORIA, BC - Billy Thompson stopped all 35 shots he faced as Victoria moved within a point of unseating Alaska as West Division champions by blanking the Aces 2-0 before 6,478 Friday at the Save-On Foods Memorial Centre.
The Salmon Kings need only a regulation tie in tomorrow's rematch at 6:00 p.m. ADT to end a three-year run for the Aces atop the West. Alaska needs to defeat Victoria in regulation and hope for a Fresno win in Boise against Idaho. The Steelheads cruised past the Falcons 5-1 Friday. If the Aces win in regulation tomorrow and Idaho knocks off Fresno, then the West title will belong to the Steelheads. Alaska can still finish anywhere from the second to the fifth seed in the National Conference, and its first round playoff opponent could be either Bakersfield, Victoria, or Idaho. An Aces loss in regulation tomorrow would present the worst case scenario for the three-time defending West Division champion, who would then be forced to start the playoffs on the road in Boise.
Friday's game in Victoria belonged to the goaltenders, Thompson and Alaska's Mike Brown, who was making just his second start in 23 days. He was beaten only by rookie forward Brady Leavold (playing just his second pro game), who slipped a wrist shot past him at 6:27 of the second period on a breakaway. Brown turned in three remarkable saves in the final period, including two more breakaways, but the Aces never got the equalizer, and Wes Goldie's empty-netter with 1:03 left in regulation sealed victory for the Salmon Kings (41-23-7).
Brown, now 9-3 in an Alaska sweater, finished with 32 saves, while both teams failed to score on six power play opportunities. The Aces (41-25-5) lost for only the third time in 21 regular season games at Victoria. Alaska had not been shut out since a 2-0 loss to Florida at Sullivan Arena on November 3. Tomorrow night's game will be broadcast live on the flagship home of Aces hockey, AM 750 KFQD, with coverage beginning at 5:45 p.m. ADT.
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