Kelly Cup

The Alaska Aces capped off the most prolific postseason in ECHL history on Saturday night, winning their second Kelly Cup Title in franchise history with a 5-3 win over the Kalamazoo Wings in Game 5 of the championship series. Alaska claims the best-of-seven series four games to one and finishes the playoffs with 12 wins and just one defeat. In Game 5, the Aces made a habit out of quick responses to K-Wings goals. After falling behind 1-0 at 2:58 of the second period, Steve Ward scored his first goal of the postseason only 32 seconds later to even things up. The Aces took a 2-1 lead later in the second on Chris Langkow's first of two goals on the night.

The Kelly Cup champions returned home to a cheering crowd late Sunday afternoon.  The Alaska Aces landed in Anchorage a day after their big win over the Kalamazoo Wings. Sporting the blue and white, Aces fans started lining the gate at the airport before the expected landing time.  "We got here about 5:45 p.m.," said Kristin and William Sams. "We wanted to get good seats. " It didn't take long for a small group to turn into a huge crowd.  "It makes you feel like a kid rooting for the team," said Aces fan Celeste Garcia.

The Alaska Aces have announced that Games 1 and 2 of the 2011 Kelly Cup Finals will be played on Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15.   Tickets are now on sale. The Aces, champions of the Western Conference, will face either the Kalamazoo Wings or the Wheeling Nailers for the ECHL title. The Wings and Nailers play Game 3 Thursday night – the teams are even in the series, 1-1. Depending on which team prevails out of the Eastern Conference two possible scheduling scenarios exist following games one and two. If Alaska plays Kalamazoo: Game 1 - Saturday, May 14th @ Alaska, 7:15pm AKT Game 2 - Sunday, May 15th @ Alaska, 7:15pm AKT Game 3 - Wednesday, May 18th @ Kalamazoo, 3:00pm AKT Game 4 - Friday, May 20th @ Kalamazoo, 3:30pm AKT Game 5 - Saturday, May 21st @ Kalamazoo 3:30pm AKT Game 6 - Wednesday, May 25th @ Alaska, 7:15pm AKT Game 7 - Friday, May 27th @ Alaska, 7:15pm AKT If Alaska plays Wheeling: Game 1 - Saturday, May 14th @ Alaska, 7:15pm AKT Game 2 - Sunday, May 15th @ Alaska, 7:15pm AKT Game 3 - Thursday, May 19th @ Wheeling, 3:05pm AKT Game 4 - Saturday, May 21st @ Wheeling, 3:35pm AKT Game 5 - Monday, May 23rd @ Wheeling, 3:05pm AKT Game 6 - Thursday, May 26th @ Alaska, 7:15pm AKT Game 7 - Friday, May 27th @ Alaska, 7:15pm AKT

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...

The Alaska Aces went trough the first two round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs undefeated, and after an opening game blowout in the finals against Kalamazoo, the Eastern Conference champions put up a memorable battle in game 2 of that series.  The Aces took a 2-0 lead early in the second period on goals by Chris Langkow and Curtis Fraser.  The K-Wings battled back, and tied the game on an extra-attacker goal by Andrew Fournier with 25 seconds to play in...

The 2011 Kelly Cup Champion Alaska Aces will play their annual exhibition games against the ECHL's newest member. The Colorado Eagles will come to Sullivan Arena for a pair of preseason contests on Tuesday, October 4th and Wednesday, October 5th.  As has become tradition, the exhibitions will once again serve as a benefit for cancer awareness. The funds raised will go towards the American Cancer Society and Breast Cancer Focus Inc. The Aces will wear pink-themed jerseys for the games, and the ice itself will also be painted pink.  The visiting Colorado Eagles should prove to be a good test for the reigning Kelly Cup Champions.

Bryan Miller scored the last goal of the 2010-11 hockey season at Sullivan Arena. Now, the veteran defenseman for the Alaska Aces has another goal in mind: To repeat as Kelly Cup Champions. Miller has re-signed with Alaska, following forward Scott Howes, who announced his intent to return to the Aces earlier this week. Miller, whose overtime goal in game two of the Kelly Cup Finals gave Alaska a two games to none lead over Kalamazoo, has been a valuable performer ever since he first put on an Aces jersey in the 2007-08 season.

  The Alaska Aces moved to within a victory of their second Kelly Cup Championship with a wild 7-5 win over the Kalamazoo Wings on Friday night at Wings Stadium. Alaska scored five first period goals, one shy of a Kelly Cup Finals record, and hung on to grab a commanding three games to one lead in the ECHL championship round. Game five is Saturday in Kalamazoo. 10 different Aces registered a point in a dominating first period that put the Kalamazoo crowd out of the game.

The Alaska Aces have named Rob Murray, former coach of the AHL's Providence Bruins, as their fourth head coach since becoming members of the ECHL. Murray takes over for Brent Thompson, who left the reigning Kelly Cup Champions following his second season behind the bench. Murray has spent the last seven seasons in the Boston Bruins organization, all with the AHL affiliate in Providence. He served as an assistant coach from the 2003-04 season until the conclusion of the 2007-08 campaign, when he was promoted to head coach.

The Alaska Aces announcing Thursday that they have re-signed Garry Nunn, Zach Harrison, and Kane Lafranchise.  All three players put in time for the Aces during their Kelly Cup Championship run.  The signings bring the total number of returning players to 12. Garry Nunn was the most productive of the group a year ago.  Nunn playing in every single regular season game.  The forward carded 32 points on 11 goals and 21 assists. Zach Harrison had his season cut short due to injury.  Harrison broke his leg against Victoria back in February, before going down for the year the forward had collected 5 goals and 10 assists for 15 points in 41 games.