Alaska Aces

  The Alaska Aces, winners of three straight Brabham Cup Titles, have released their 2013 playoff roster.  ECHL guidelines require playoff rosters to consist of a maximum 23 players, 20 active men and 3 on reserve.  The Aces playoff roster includes 12 forwards, nine defensemen, and two goaltenders.   The forwards are: Spencer Bennett, Chris Clackson, Tim Hall, Zach Harrison, Alex Hudson, Bobby Hughes, Alex Imbeault, Nick Mazzolini, Tommy Mele, Garry Nunn, Andy Taranto, and Evan Trupp.

The Alaska Aces hockey players showed up at the Muldoon Boys & Girls Club to help prepare and hand out bagged meals as part of the Children's Lunchbox program Monday evening. At the Muldoon location, the program serves between 50 to 80 children each night, but on this special night 100 meals were prepared in anticipation for a record-breaking event. According to Lynette Ortolano, the Children's Lunchbox Program Director, the children were looking forward to the Aces' visit for several weeks.

4 out of 5 KTUU panelists agree:  The Alaska Aces trump all comers in the top stories stories of the year poll, just as they did to ECHL opponents during the regular and postseason.  The Aces run to the 2011 championship began with a roster overhaul in the summer of 2010 that landed the team, among others, sniper Wes Goldie, and goaltender Gerald Coleman.  All told, the Aces brought back only two players from the previous season.  Alaska started off...

On Monday night, the Alaska Aces hosted its sixth annual “Paint-the-Rink-Pink” exhibition game that corresponds to the national Breast Cancer Awareness month. The game was played on pink ice at the Sullivan Arena and it's become an early-October tradition for the hometown team. “About a decade ago when the new ownership took over, we made a point that this isn't just the Anchorage Aces anymore, it's the Alaska Aces,” Josh Bogorad, Alaska Aces Director of Media Relations, said.  “The fact that we can do local fundraising events, make them all that much more special.” The Aces said proceeds of ticket sales and proceeds of a pink-trimmed jersey auction go to local breast cancer organizations.

Individuals hoping to get rid of their leftover holiday wrapping paper will have the opportunity to do so through the Alaska Aces' "Return, Recycle, and Score!" event. Wrapping paper for recycling can be dropped off at the Aces games on December 28th, 29th, and 31st between 6 and 7 p.m. Recyclers will be entered in a raffle to win a hockey stick signed by the Aces. Only paper wrapping and paperboard gift boxes will be accepted. Small electronics are also being collected during this event.

The Alaska Aces own the best record in the ECHL, and they were rewarded for their success on Thursday, with three players named to the all-league first and second teams. Gerald Coleman was named first-team goaltender for his brilliant play in net. Coleman's 29 wins and four shutouts are tied for the most in the ECHL, while his 2.22 goals against average is a league-best. Forward Wes Goldie was also voted a first-team player by league coaches. The veteran sniper reached the 40-goal plateau for the fifth consecutive season, and currently leads the entire ECHL with 44. Goldie's ongoing 16 game point streak is the longest in the ECHL this season.

One night after having their six-game winning streak broken, the Alaska Aces restored order by thumping the Utah Grizzlies, 8-4 on Saturday night.  Nick Mazzolini led the attack with a hat trick while Garry Nunn scored twice.  Mazzolini owns a team-high 15 goals this season.  Alaska now stands 18-6-0 overall. Nunn buried both of his goals in the first period as Alaska led, 4-0 after 20 minutes.  After Utah quickly made a game of it in the second, Mazzolini scored back to back goals 24 seconds apart to give the Aces a four-goal lead again.  Mazzolini also contributed two assists, while Jarred Smith, Scott Gomez, and Joey Crabb also scored for Alaska.

Two nights before the season opener, the Alaska Aces released Addison DeBoer, a winger out of Colorado College. The dismissal leaves the Aces with 23 players. Twenty will be on the roster Friday night against Utah, but coach Brent Thompson doesn't necessarily have to make any more cuts. The Aces can place an unlimited number of players on the injured reserve list. Contact Kevin Wells at kwells@ktuu.com

Coach Brent Thompson could get used to the Alaska Aces’ goaltending. Gerald Coleman stopped all 27 shots he faced Thursday as the Aces posted their third shutout in the last four games, defeating the Ontario Reign 1-0. Scott Howes buried the only goal of the game 12:24 into the second period. The win gives Alaska a 6-2-0 record, as Ontario slips to 2-5-1. Contact Kevin Wells at kwells@ktuu.com

Gerald Coleman made 29 saves for his second shutout of the season as the Alaska Aces remained unbeaten on their eight-game road trip with a 2-0 win over the Bakersfield Condors.  Alaska improves to 5-0-2 on its trip with one game left. Wes Goldie and Tyler Ruegsegger each scored their seventh goals of the season for the Aces, who own a league-high 30 points and a mark of 14-4-2.   

The Stockton Thunder ended the Alaska Aces season with a 4-3 overtime victory in Tuesday's Game Six of the ECHL's Western Conference Semifinals.  Stockton's Nik Pokulok scored the game winning goal 7:13 into sudden death after the Thunder's Andrew Clark tied things up with only five seconds left in regulation.  Alaska loses the series, four games to two and will have to call it a year after leading the ECHL with 49 wins during the regular...

The Alaska Aces got the start they were looking for, but quickly fell behind the Stockton Thunder en route to a 5-3 loss in game three of the ECHL's Western Conference Semifinals.  Stockton takes a two games to one lead in the series with game four set for Friday.  Zach Harrison put Alaska on the board 2:28 of the first period with his sixth goal of the playoffs, but from there, the Thunder got rolling, scoring three goals in a span of...

The Alaska Aces booked their ticket to the Western Conference Semifinals with a 5-3 victory over San Francisco Saturday. Despite taking an early 1-0 lead, Alaska managed 4 straight goals to secure victory.  Bobby Hughes led the way with 2, Garry Nunn and Alex Hudson also scoring. San Francisco attempted a comeback, but that was stopped short when Zach Harrison buried the empty netter. Alaska claimed the series 4 games to 1, and are now set to face the winner of the Stockton vs. Las Vegas series.

The Alaska Aces defeated the San Francisco Bulls 6-5 Friday night, to take a 3-1 series lead in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. After the Bulls took a 1-0 lead in the first, Alaska responded with a power play goal from Bobby Hughes early in second to even the score.  Chris Clackson added to the lead with 2 goals in the period, and one from BJ Crum lift the team to a 4-3 lead to end a wild 6 goal second. In the third, Zach Harrison and Hughes tallied two midway through to lead 6-3.  San Francisco would attempt a comeback, but ultimately fell short.

After losing their home ice advantage with a shutout loss in game two of the ECHL's Western Conference Quarterfinals, the Alaska Aces stole it back with a dominating 4-1 victory over the San Francisco Bulls in Thursday night's game three.  Alaska leads the best of seven series two games to one.  Game four is Friday, in San Francisco. Alex Hudson and Steve Ward scored second period goals to give the Aces a 2-0 lead at second intermission, while Nick Mazzolini made it 3-0 early in the third on an unassisted goal.  Mazzolini, whose 36 goals during the regular season ranked second in the league, notched his first of the playoffs.  Zach Harrison buried an empty net goal, while Mark Guggenberger collected his first ECHL playoff win in net, with 21 saves.

  The Alaska Aces, winners of three straight Brabham Cup Titles, have released their 2013 playoff roster.  ECHL guidelines require playoff rosters to consist of a maximum 23 players, 20 active men and 3 on reserve.  The Aces playoff roster includes 12 forwards, nine defensemen, and two goaltenders.   The forwards are: Spencer Bennett, Chris Clackson, Tim Hall, Zach Harrison, Alex Hudson, Bobby Hughes, Alex Imbeault, Nick Mazzolini, Tommy Mele, Garry Nunn, Andy Taranto, and Evan Trupp.

The Idaho Steelheads have won for the fourth time in five regular season meetings with the ECHL-leading Alaska Aces.  Chase Schaber scored 34 seconds into overtime on Wednesday night to give the Steelheads a 4-3 win over Alaska, sending the Aces to only their second loss in 13 games. Alaska outshot Idaho for the game, 33-16, but never led in the contest.  Evan Trupp, Bobby Hughes, and Nick Mazzolini all scored for the Aces.  Mazzolini's came shorthanded, his fourth of the year when on the penalty kill.  His 35 goals total are seconds most in the ECHL.

Gerald Coleman stopped all 20 Bakersfield Condors shots for his second shutout in as many Sundays as the Alaska Aces rolled to a 3-0 victory over the Condors to finish off a three game series sweep.  The Aces pad their ECHL-best record to 43-12-6.  Following a scoreless first period, Alexandre Imbeault tallied his 16th goal of the year at 11:42 of the second period.  Alex Hudson and Spencer Bennett added third period goals 69 seconds apart....

Faced with seven games in a 10 day span, the Alaska Aces are showing very little drop-off in productivity.  If anything, they keep improving.  Alaska defeated Las Vegas, 3-1 on Friday night to extend their unbeaten streak to 12 games.  Jordan Kremyr and Spencer Bennett scored first period goals for Alaska, while Nick Mazzolini tallied his 31st of the year.  Spencer's goal was his fourth in as many games. Mark Guggenberger made 21 saves for the victory in net.  The Aces move to an ECHL-best 39-11-6 on the season.