Aces' losing streak now up to four games

They are also struggling to score goals at even strength, and especially at meaningful junctures in hockey games.

And they are surrendering more shots on goal per game than any team in the ECHL, and they continue to lead the league in penalty minutes per game.

Add it all up and the club's miseries multiply. Wednesday night, the Aces lost their fourth consecutive game, a 2-1 come-from-ahead setback to the Utah Grizzlies in West Valley City.

That fourth straight road loss also marked the first time they have lost a game in which they led entering the third period. The Aces entered the match at The E-Center 6-0-0 in games they led through two periods, but that streak was snuffed when they turned a 1-0 lead through two periods into a loss.

Thus, the Aces delivered themselves a measure of mediocrity and visited the Land of .500 -- they fell to 8-8-2, with road games left Friday and Saturday against the streaking Grizzlies (12-4-0), who have won six straight.

Basically, Alaska can't get John Lammers back into the lineup quickly enough. The center who racked six goals and nine points in the Aces' first six games was released by the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League on Wednesday and was scheduled to fly into Salt Lake City that evening. He'll be in the lineup Friday.

Even the upsides for the Aces -- 36 saves from birthday boy Scott Reid on his day of 33 candles, exceptional penalty killing and another goal from winger Colin Hemingway -- got lost in the loss.

The Aces, who burned all seven Grizzlies man advantages, killed five consecutive Utah power plays in the second period. In a span of 8 minutes, 38 seconds, the Aces were short-handed for 8:00, and that included Utah two-man advantages that lasted 17 seconds and 44 seconds, respectively.

Seconds after that final Utah power play expired, Aces defenseman Derick Martin whistled a breakaway pass to Tomas Kana as the native of the Czech Republic exited the penalty box. Utah goaltender Mitch O'Keefe (23 saves), fresh off his ECHL Goaltender of the Week award, stopped Kana's bid, but Hemingway scored on the rebound for his team-leading 11th goal.

Hemingway, who scored with less than three minutes left in the second period to break a scoreless tie, has provided at least one point in 15 of Alaska's 18 games.

The Aces gave up 20 shots in the second period and 38 in the game, raising their average to a league-worst 35.33 shots surrendered per game.

Alaska's lead didn't last long.

Utah defenseman Chris Brooks scored just his third career goal in 72 ECHL games to forge a 1-1 tie less than two minutes into the third period. And Tom May followed five minutes later with the go-ahead goal that proved the game winner.

The Aces enjoyed two power plays after May's goal, but, really, their hasn't been a whole lot of joy in the man advantage for Alaska of late. The Aces went 0 for 6 on the power play Wednesday, and they have scored a mere four times on 58 power plays in the last 11 games.

Shuffling the deck

Wednesday marked the Aces' 18th game, the quarter pole in the ECHL's 72-game regular season. And, at 8-8-2, this edition of the Aces sports the worst record at the quarter pole in the franchise's seven ECHL seasons.

The worst Alaska had done before this was a 10-7-1 start, in both the 2007-08 season, 2004-05 season and the 2003-04 season. The best Alaska has done in its first 18 games is the 13-3-2 mark by the 2005-06 team that went on to capture the Kelly Cup.

The Aces' 3-7-0 road record gives them the second-worst wining percentage (.300) in the league in roadies. Only Victoria (1-6-1, .188) is worse.

---

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

Aces 0 1 0 -- 1

Utah 0 0 2 -- 2

First Period -- None. Penalties -- Hughes, Utah (hooking), 12:18; Kana, Aces (slashing), 16:00; Beljo, Utah (hooking), 18:17.

Second Period -- 1, Aces, Hemingway 11 (Kana), 17:41. Penalties -- Utah bench minor, served by Pavli (too many men), :35; Friesen, Utah (tripping), 3:45; Hemingway, Aces (holding the stick), 8:53; Martin, Aces (tripping), 9:36; Ryznar, Aces (tripping), 10:53; Brosnihan, Aces (hooking), 12:57; Kana, Aces (hooking), 15:32.

Third Period -- 2, Utah, Brooks 1 (Hunter), 1:43; 3, Utah, May 4 (Perry, Hunter), 6:49. Penalties -- Nikiforov, Utah (slashing), 8:00; Stefanishion, Aces, minor-misconduct (elbowing), 14:59; Friesen, Utah (holding), 17:27.

Shots on goal -- Aces 8-5-11--24. Utah 6-20-12--38.

Power-play Opportunities -- Aces 0 of 6; Utah 0 of 7.

Goalies -- Aces, Reid, 3-3-2 (38 shots-36 saves). Utah, O'Keefe, 8-1-0 (24-23).

A -- 2,460 (10,200). T -- 2:13.

Referee -- J.M. McNulty. Linesmen -- Scott Ingraham, James McKenna.