Stockton Thunder

Despite controlling play and outshooting the opposition by 13, the Alaska Aces fell victim to a hard-luck shootout loss on Sunday, falling to the Stockton Thunder, 4-3.  Alaska's lead over Las Vegas for the ECHL's best record grows to four points as the Aces are now 37-15-9.  The Wranglers were idle on Sunday. Shane Owen, just acquired on Saturday in a trade with the Florida Everblades, stopped 21 shots in his Aces debut.  Blair Yaworski, Brian Swanson, and Nick Mazzolini all scored for the Aces in regulation.  However, following a scoreless overtime period, Alaska shooters were blanked in the shootout.  The Aces have seven shootout losses, tied for the most in the league.

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...

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 scored four goals in a span of four minutes and 18 seconds to score an early TKO of the Stockton Thunder, 8-3 Wednesday night at Sullivan Arena.  The flurry of goals all came during the same five-minute major penalty given to the Thunder.  Wes Goldie notched a hat trick in the rout, his 12th, 13th ,and 14th goals of the season. The game was tied at one goal apiece when Alaska reeled off its scoring spree.  Goldie, Kory Falite, Bryan Miller, and Brian Swanson all buried goals in the rally.

Dan Kissel scored a pair of goals and tacked on an assist in a three point night as the Alaska Aces topped the Stockton Thunder 4-1. The Aces needed just five games to advance to the Conference Finals where they await the winner of the Wranglers and Steelheads. Dan Kissel provided the ice breaking goal at 11:13 of the first period to give Alaska a 1-0 advantage.  Two minutes later Steve Ward added a tally of his own which made the score 2-0. In the second period Jessie Fratkin would breath life into the Thunder cutting the Alaska lead in half with a horn sounding effort at the 3:14 mark of the frame.

A game isn't truly must-win unless a team is facing elimination, but Friday's pivotal Game 3 of the National Conference quarterfinals between the visiting Alaska Aces and Stockton Thunder is as close as it gets. The best-of-5 series is even at 1-1 after the first two games in Wasilla -- Alaska took Game 1 4-3 and dropped Game 2 5-2 -- and history strongly favors the team that emerges victorious in Game 3. And in the case of the Aces, who are tasked with playing the remainder of the series on the road, a loss Friday night would present them with a monumentally difficult task of winning two in a row in a hostile barn while facing elimination.

Sparked by two goals in a span of 19 seconds, the Alaska Aces broke open a close game by scoring three times in the third period of a 4-0 win over the Stockton Thunder in game three of the ECHL Western Conference Semifinals.  The win gives Alaska a 2-1 series edge after the teams split the first two contests at Sullivan Arena. Ryan Cruthers gave the Aces a 1-0 lead with his first goal of the playoffs on a power play at 11:37 of the first period.  Gerald Coleman made 13 first period saves, and shut out the Thunder on 22 saves for the night.  But the game was still in doubt entering the third.

Oh what a night for Alexandre Imbeault, the Aces forward carded a natural hat trick on Sunday, accounting for all of the Aces goals in their 3-1 victory over the Stockton Thunder.  Alaska swept the series winning three games in three nights against the California based team.  For Imbeault the scoring outburst accounted for his 12th, 13th, and 14th goals of the year.  After the game the man with three horn sounders gave some of the credit to...

Nick Mazzolini delivered a highlight-reel assist on the tying goal and added an empty net goal in the final seconds to help the Alaska Aces to a 4-2 win over the Stockton Thunder in game four of the Western Conference Semifinals on Friday.  the victory gives Alaska a three games to one lead and can clinch the series Saturday in Stockton. Tyson Marsh scored his second career playoff goal and Steve Ward buried the game winner at 14:08 of the third period.  But with Alaska trailing 2-1 in the second period, Mazzolini turned in the play of the game when he swung behind the net as though he were about to attempt a wrap-around shot.  Instead, he passed the puck in front of the net to a wide-open Ryan Cruthers, who tied the game, 2-2. Gerald Coleman was again sharp in net, turning away 19 of 21 Thunder shots.  Stockton has managed only six goals in the first four games of the series.

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...