ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The defending Kelly Cup champion Alaska Aces are on the brink of elimination after falling, 3-2 to the Las Vegas Wranglers in game four of the ECHL's Western Conference Finals.
Alaska trails the series, three games to one and faces a must-win in Wednesday's game five.
For the third straight game, the Aces allowed an early first period goal. Judd Blackwater gave Las Vegas a 1-0 lead just 1:49 into the opening period. Eric Lampe, who scored the overtime goal in Sunday's win, also struck in the first to make it 2-0 after one period.
After a third Wranglers goal, Dan Kissel scored a highlight reel goal late in the second period. Chad Anderson tallied Alaska's other goal to bring the score to 3-2, but only five seconds remained at that point.
The Aces last faced a three games to one deficit in the 2009 Kelly Cup Finals. In that series, Alaska came back to force a game seven, only to lose the decisive game.
