SALMON KINGS FALL TO ACES

The Alaska Aces skated to a 5-3 victory Saturday over the Victoria Salmon Kings in Anchorage.

It wasthe second game of a three-game set. The Salmon Kings started John Murray in net and the Aces countered with Sebastian Dahm.

The Kings came out quickly as Scott Howes worked out of the right wing

corner and fired a shot at the Alaska net. Dahm made the save, but Howes followed it up and chipped in his own rebound for the 1-0 lead.

The Aces tied it up at 1-1 on the power play when Colin Hemingway found the puck at the right side of the net. His shot slipped through the legs of Murray and Lance Galbraith found it in the crease and poked it in for the tally. The teams were tied 1-1 through the first period.

The Aces would capitalize in the period’s first minute in the second period. Matt Stefanishion blasted a one-timer and picked the top corner glove side.

Alaska would increase their lead on the power play when Alexander Imbeault stepped out of the left corner to the front of the net. He lost the puck, but spun around and slipped a shot between Murray’s legs for the 3-1 lead.

The Kings cut into that lead when Scott Howes and Olivier Filion were sent away on a 2-on-1. Howes moved down the left side and found Filion on the right side.

Filion fired a one-timer past Dahm to move Victoria to within one.  The Kings tied it up on a pretty passing play. Olivier Latendresse moved up the right side wall passed the puck to Mike Burgoyne at the top of the right circle.

Burgoyne fired a pass to the far side of the net to Chad Painchaud who made no mistake and slammed it into the open side of the net. The Aces responded when Scott Burt battled for a puck in front of the Kings’ net and slipped it past Murray. Alaska would lead 4-3 through 40 minutes.

The Aces controlled the play for much of the third period out shooting the Salmon Kings 14-3. Alaska also tallied the only goal when John Lammers scored on a shorthanded breakaway with under five minutes to go in the game.

Aces 5 Salmon Kings 3.

The Salmon Kings finished 0-3=0% on the power play while the Aces went 2-3=66.7% and Aces both finished 0/6 = 0.00% on the power play. The Aces outshot the Salmon Kings 39-29.

The Salmon Kings and Aces meet on Monday night at 8:15 p.m.  in Alaska. The Kings then welcome the Bakersfield Condors to the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre for their home opener on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.