Kelly Cup

Scott Howes, the Alaska Aces' leading point producer in the playoffs with 7 goals and 10 assists, will miss game three of the Kelly Cup Finals against the Kalamazoo Wings with an upper body injury. His status is day-to-day. The loss of the play-making forward will re-arrange Alaska's line combinations. Howes had played most of the season on the Aces' top line, alongside Brian Swanson and ECHL Most Valuable Player Wes Goldie. Wednesday night in Kalamazoo, the Aces will be in search of a commanding three games to none lead over the Wings in the ECHL championship series.

The Alaska Aces announced the signings of two more players on Thursday, forwards Garry Nunn and Tyler Ruegsegger. Both players won a Kelly Cup title with Alaska in the 2010-11 season and are returning for their third seasons with the team. Nunn enjoyed a fine 2011-12 season, finishing with 15 goals and 29 assists, tying him for the fourth most points on the team. He is currently Alaska's second leading returning scorer. Ruegsegger spent part of the last two seasons in the AHL. But while in an Aces uniform, he too has been productive.

The Alaska Aces announced the return of forward Alexandre Imbeault to their roster Wednesday morning. Imbeault, 26, was traded from the Orlando Solar Bears in exchange for future considerations. The former Ace skated with the team from 2008-2010, and is expected to be on the ice this weekend for the 3 game series against the San Francisco Bulls. During his time with the Aces, Imbeault tallied 95pts (38g, 57a) in 108 games.  He helped the team to the Kelly Cup finals in the 2009 postseason, before taking off for the Czech Republic.

The Brabham Cup champion Aces received goals from five different players in Friday's opening game of the Kelly Cup playoffs, dominating the San Francisco Bulls, 5-1 in game one of the ECHL's Western Conference Quarterfinals.  Alaska, owners of a league-high 49 wins during the regular season, take a one game to none lead in the best of seven series.  Game two is set for Saturday night at Sullivan Arena. Garry Nunn opened the scoring at 8:48 of the first period off an assist from Evan Trupp.  The Aces took total control in the second period, getting goals from Bobby Hughes, Alexandre Imbeault, and Zach Harrison.  Hughes and Imbeault each finished the game with a goal and an assist, while Gerald Coleman collected the win in net with 19 saves.  Alaska peppered the San Francisco net with 40 shots on goal.

One night after routing the San Francisco Bulls to begin the Kelly Cup Playoffs, the Aces had the tables turned on them in a 1-0 loss to the Bulls in game two of the ECHL's Western Conference Quarterfinals.  Thomas Heemskerk denied Alaska all night for 32 saves and former Ace Kory Falite scored the game's only goal to enable the Bulls to tie the best of seven series at one game apiece. The Aces were shut out only twice in a 72 game regular season and got off to a terrific start in the playoffs with Friday's 5-1 victory.  But Alaska could not convert on seven power play opportunities.  Games three, four, and five of the series are all in San Francisco, next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

The Alaska Aces summoned the resolve of a champion on Wednesday night and rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the Victoria Salmon Kings, 4-2.   The victory, Alaska's seventh in a row, and its 13th in the last 14 games, enables the Aces to pull one step closer towards securing the regular season ECHL points title and home ice advantage throughout the Kelly Cup Playoffs.  The Aces need only a win or an overtime / shootout loss in their final two games to clinch the Brabham Cup. Mark Isherwood, Wes Goldie, Curtis Fraser, and Ethan Cox scored goals for Alaska.

The Aces have been blasting opponents all season.  Friday night, they received a blast from the past. Former Ace Matt Shasby, out of pro hockey since retiring after the 2009 Kelly Cup Finals, was signed by the shorthanded Aces just prior to game time on Friday, and delivered the game's first goal in Alaska's 3-1 win over the Stockton Thunder.  Alaska improves to an ECHL-best 28-5-5 overall, and owns an eight-game winning streak.  ...

The Alaska Aces re-signed one of their best players from last season on Friday, announcing the return of Dan Kissel to the two-time defending Brabham Cup champions. Kissel was a key component of the Aces 2011 Kelly Cup championship run, totaling three goals and eight assists in the postseason. Then last season, he was sensational, scoring 35 goals while being voted second team All-ECHL. His 35 goals tied then-teammate Wes Goldie for second most in the league. At 5 foot 9 and 180 pounds, Kissel relies on good hands and smarts to make plays and should also be counted on during power play situations for Alaska this coming season.

The Aces organization confirmed on Saturday that Aces star Brian Swanson is retiring after thirteen seasons as a pro. Swanson had an impressive career as star at Chugiak High School, even before he got paid as a star.  He was an All-American at Colorado College where he led his team in scoring in three of his four seasons. Swanson made his way into pro-hockey in the NHL, where he played a 44 game stretch with the Oilers - his longest stint. He played in various leagues in the States and even abroad in Germany for a while before coming back to Alaska to help lead the Aces to a Kelly Cup championship a year ago in the ECHL.

Garry Nunn scored with 3:08 remaining in regulation to cap a wild third period and give the Alaska Aces a 2-1 victory over the Stockton Thunder in game one of the ECHL's Western Conference Semifinals at Sullivan Arena.  Following two scoreless periods, Stockton's Greg Squires broke the ice with a goal 8:07 into the third.  The lead proved to be short lived, however, as Dan Kissel scored less than four minutes later, setting the stage...