In the wake of Sunday's 8-4 dismantling of the Utah Grizzlies to cinch a three-game demolition of the visitors at Sullivan Arena, there was scant evidence the Alaska Aces have any significant shortcomings.

After all, they scored a season-high number of goals and fired a season-high number of shots (41) to improve their league-leading record (10-2-1).

They also stretched their unbeaten streak to eight games (7-0-1), the best current run in the 23-team ECHL.

They got at least one scoring point from 14 of their 16 skaters and continued to lead the league in penalty killing.

And they matched the best 13-game start in franchise history, mirroring the 10-2-1 start by the 1996-97 club -- that was so long ago the team was then known as the Anchorage Aces and played in the now-defunct West Coast Hockey League.

Among the other assorted home-team highlights from the matinee before an announced crowd of 4,144, rookie winger Erik Felde of Anchorage bagged the first two goals of his pro career. Luke Erickson, Tomas Kana and defenseman Corbin Schmidt each furnished three-point games, and Cam Keith, Vladimir Novak and Jordan Foreman contributed two points each.

So, what wasn't to like?

Well, just that the Aces surrendered three third-period goals to Utah (6-6-0). Aces coach Keith McCambridge thought goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux (29 saves), who entered having surrendered just seven goals in the previous seven games, deserved better.

"That's the only fault I find,'' McCambridge said. "You owe it to your goalie to play better in your own end.''

No argument from Felde, who cited the Aces' occasionally relaxed attitude in the late going as a weakness in need of remedy. The Aces led 5-1 entering the third period and led 7-2 halfway through it after Felde's second goal.

"Our 'D' zone's a little sloppy, and when we have that big a lead, we have to keep our tempo up instead of dropping down to their level,'' Felde said.

Otherwise, the Aces appear in high gear -- they outscored the Grizzlies 17-6 in the series. They have flourished despite injuries (Bo Cheesman, Ed Hill, Brett Hemingway) and call-ups to the American Hockey League (Josh Soares, T.J. Fast, Derick Martin).

Of course, it didn't hurt that they raced to a 3-0 lead halfway through the first period on goals from Erickson, Matt Shasby and Foreman.

"It's a good team here,'' said Kana, a native of the Czech Republic. "Everybody is together. We have a good coach, practices are good. Everything is good right now, and we're winning.''

Defenseman Nick Tuzzolino, the second-year pro in his first season with the Aces, said the club's older, more experienced players have helped newcomers feel their contributions are critical.

"When I was recruited this summer, I was told this organization has a history of winning, but I didn't think it was going to kick in like this,'' Tuzzolino said. "The best thing is we're not too high or too low.

"I credit that to our older guys. If you hadn't played in six games, you step in and they make you feel like a first-liner.''

Also providing a sense of security is Lamoureux, the rookie who has played every second for the Aces this season.

Although he was handed an early lead, he made a couple of remarkable first-period saves that allowed the Aces to head into the first intermission with a 3-0 advantage.

After flashing his right pad to kick out Mike Walsh's one-timer, Lamoureux dove left to right across his crease to get his glove on James Sixsmith's rebound bid. Later, he somehow got his glove on Walsh's deflection and smothered the puck for a whistle.

Lamoureux's 10 wins are four more than any other goalie in the league. He has also crafted a goals-against average of just 2.20 and a save percentage of .933, numbers that consistently give Alaska a chance to win.

"That's the key for everything,'' Kana said.

Shuffling the deck

In a pregame ceremony at center ice, Aces co-owner Jerry Mackie presented representatives of Breast Cancer Focus, Inc., and the Alaska chapter of the American Cancer Society with a check for $60,197. That money came from the club's two preseason exhibition games, which for the second straight season were "Paint The Rink Pink'' events.

Veteran winger Keith extended his points streak to eight games -- he has at least one assist in each of those games, owns four straight two-point efforts and has furnished 1-11--12 totals in that span.

Veteran defenseman Shasby has a four-game points streak and 3-1--4 totals in that stretch. He leads league blueliners in scoring with 4-9--13 totals in 13 games.

Colin Hemingway's assist gives him 7-11--18 totals, which ties him for fourth in the league in points.

The Aces, who own a league-leading penalty-killing efficiency of 91.5 percent, had killed 21 consecutive opposing power plays before Utah's Vladimir Nikiforov struck in the third period.

Soares and Fast played Sunday in the Peoria Rivermen's 4-1 loss at Rockford. Soares earned an even rating and launched three shots on goal. Fast was minus-1 with one shot.

Find Doyle Woody's blog at adn.com/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.

Utah 0 1 3 -- 4

Aces 3 2 3 -- 8

First Period -- 1, Aces, Erickson 4 (Schmidt, Burt), 2:09 (pp); 2, Aces, Shasby 4 (Imbeault, Keith), 3:13; 3, Aces, Foreman 3 (Erickson, Kana), 10:37. Penalties -- Hart, Utah (slashing), :42; Foreman, Aces (hooking), 7:54; Foreman, Aces (roughing), 15:41; Hart, Utah (roughing), 15:41; Gleed, Utah (boarding), 16:30.

Second Period -- 4, Utah, Packard 4 (Walsh, Sixsmith), 3:26; 5, Aces, Novak 2 (Tuzzolino, Schmidt), 9:59; 5, Aces, Felde 1 (Curry, Novak), 10:27. Penalties -- Hart, Utah (interference), 7:47; Keith, Aces (hooking), 10:55; Takahashi, Utah (interference), 16:29; Walsh, Utah (slashing), 17:08.

Third Period -- 7, Utah, Sixsmith 4 (Walsh, Sertich), :42; 8, Aces, Keith 2 (C. Hemingway, Schmidt), 1:58; 9, Felde 2 (Kana, Gauthier), 10:45; 10, Utah, Nikiforov 2 (May, Sertich), 14:06 (pp); 11, Utah, Packard 5 (Craig, Leslie), 15:43; 12, Aces, Kana 2 (Foreman, Erickson), 18:46. Penalties -- Gauthier, Aces (high-sticking), 6:32; Kana, Aces (hooking), 13:28.

Shots on goal -- Utah 7-12-14--33. Aces 17-13-11--41.

Power-play Opportunities -- Utah 1 of 4; Aces 1 of 5.

Goalies -- Utah, Mole 4-6-0 (41 shots-33 saves). Aces, Lamoureux 10-2-1 (33-29).

A -- 4,144 (6,251). T -- 2:30.

Referee --Jarrod Ragusin. Linesmen -- Scott Sivulich, Will Moran.