Aces coach seeks right 'balance'

Tuzzolino, who had not yet played in the Finals and had not appeared in a hockey game for 16 days, kick-started the odd-man rush that generated Lance Galbraith's second-period goal to open the scoring.

With Tuzzolino delivering a strong all-around performance and Colin Hemingway providing an overtime goal, the Aces beat the South Carolina Stingrays 3-2 at the North Charleston Coliseum in South Carolina to force Thursday night's Game 6 at Sullivan Arena. South Carolina owns a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 series.

McCambridge's move was one of several adjustments the second-year coach has made in the postseason in an effort to both energize his club and keep opponents guessing.

"There's that balance -- you don't want to make too many changes and send a sense of panic through the team,'' McCambridge said. "You're just tweaking things, making subtle moves for one, to give guys a spark, and two, to give the opponent another look.''

Benching Shasby, who helped the Aces to the 2006 Kelly Cup and has been a cornerstone of the franchise for four seasons, arguably ranks as the most stunning move McCambridge has made in his two seasons. He said he didn't feel Shasby was playing up to his elite ability.

Shasby said getting the news was difficult.

"It was hard,'' he said. "You never want to not be out there battling with your teammates. Thankfully, we won the game and we move on from there. No reason to focus on it.''

McCambridge said which defenseman plays Thursday -- Shasby or Tuzzolino -- will be a game-day decision.

Tuzzolino said the circumstances of his return to the lineup were awkward, but he concentrated on helping the Aces remain alive.

"Obviously, you don't want those circumstances to happen,'' Tuzzolino said. "But it was really exciting for me, and it worked out.

"I think nerves are a good thing because they get you focused, and I was definitely extremely nervous. But my defensive partner, (Tyson) Marsh, really helped me out.''

Like Shasby, Tuzzolino said he has no hint whether he'll play Thursday, when the series returns to the Olympic-sized ice at Sullivan, which plays to Shasby's strength as an exceptional skater.

"Everyone knows Matt Shasby on an Olympic sheet is a great skater with great playmaking ability and great vision,'' Tuzzolino said. "It's really 50-50. (McCambridge) will make the right decision.

"I don't think me or Shaz care -- we just want to win.''

McCambridge also made a significant move halfway through Game 3's 4-2 loss in South Carolina. He juggled his first two lines, moving Alexandre Imbeault up to center left wing Josh Soares and right wing Cam Keith. He also elevated Tomas Kana from his 10th forward, a slot that generally gets only occasional shifts, to second-line center between Lance Galbraith and Hemingway.

Luke Erickson moved from second-line to 10th forward, though he remained on a power-play unit. McCambridge did not tinker with the third line of Vladimir Novak centering captain Scott Burt and Matt Stefanishion.

"I was just looking for some sort of spark,'' McCambridge said. "I just thought the lines had gone stale at that point.''

The Aces lost 5-0 in Game 4 in South Carolina, though McCambridge thought his forwards played better than the club's most lopsided loss of the season indicated. He kept his lines intact for Game 5.

McCambridge made those tactical moves because Soares, who previously centered the first line, is a natural left wing. And Keith, though he shoots left-handed and has played left wing all season, prefers the right wing.

The coach also believes there is chemistry between Galbraith, a 29-year-old veteran of eight pro seasons, and Kana, 21, a second-year pro.

"They played together and had a good spark earlier this season,'' McCambridge said. "There's almost an older-brother feel there.''

In Game 5, Galbraith scored off a Kana feed, Imbeault scored off a pass from Keith and Hemingway's game winner came off Galbraith's cross-crease pass.

McCambridge's other significant move in the playoffs came against the Las Vegas Wranglers in the previous round when he stuck Stefanishion at the left point on a power-play unit. That spot is usually manned by a defenseman, but McCambridge moved Stefanishion there to take advantage of his lethal one-timer.

Stefanishion promptly scored on a power play in the Aces' 5-1 Game 4 win to sweep the National Conference finals from the Wranglers.

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