Aces can't close door on Condors

They could use some hockey help bearing the burden.

Even though Doyle tied his season-high with 42 saves Wednesday night, and Imbeault and Fast extended their point streaks, the Aces twice surrendered two-goal leads and fell 4-3 in an ECHL road shootout at undermanned Bakersfield.

The Aces, who never trailed until the Condors won the shootout 2-0 at Rabobank Arena, led 2-0 in the opening minute of the second period and 3-1 two minutes into the third period.

Yet the Condors used a goal from former UAF skater Adam Naglich seven minutes into the third period to pull within one goal at 3-2. And Eric Regan forged a 3-3 tie with an extra-attacker goal with 32 seconds left in regulation. Regan's shot, which he generated after Naglich won a face-off, glanced off the leg of Aces defenseman Derick Martin.

Up to then, though, the Aces were sustained by Doyle, Imbeault and Fast, with some aid from Eric Boguniecki, Nick Mazzolini and the penalty-killing crew. The Aces burned off all eight Condors power plays, including one in overtime.

Doyle, who racked 42 saves in a 2-1 win at Stockton on Friday to open this six-game, California road swing, has gone 6-1-2 for the Aces. He has permitted 2.16 goals per game and delivered a save percentage of .936.

He was again required to be sharp in goal because the Condors, who dressed four true defensemen, turned his crease into a veritable shooting gallery by unloading 45 shots. The Aces mustered 15 shots on Timo Pielmeier.

Yet Imbeault's breakaway goal, furnished by Judd Blackwater's lead pass, provided the Aces (19-19-4) a 1-0 lead late in the first period. That stretched Imbeault's point streak to eight games -- the first-line center owns 8-7--15 totals in that span.

Rookie Brock McBride pushed Alaska's lead to 2-0 off a Boguniecki pass in the opening minute of the second period. The Condors (26-11-3) pushed back on Ryan Menei's goal 35 seconds later, yet Fast's goal two minutes into the third period restored Alaska's two-goal lead at 3-2. Fast, a defenseman, has scored at least one point in seven straight games.

Boguniecki, in his first game after missing four matches following injections to his ailing hips, and Mazzolini both bagged two assists.

The late magic the Condors summoned before an announced crowd of 3,652 helps explain why they are 16-4-0 at Rabobank and own the best home-ice winning percentage (.800) in the 20-team league.

And the Aces' mistakes -- senseless penalties and twice icing the puck in the final minute of regulation -- help explain their road woes (7-13-1) and a winning percentage (.357) in hostile rinks that ranks second-worst in the league.

Shuffling the deck

Wednesday's game, the Aces' 42nd this season, marked the first time the club has dressed the ideal complement of 10 forwards and six defensemen since Game No. 30, a 3-2 home-ice win over Ontario on Dec. 30.

Imbeault already has tied his point total (47) from last season in 22 fewer games. He leads the club in assists and points with 18-29--47 totals in 42 games after going 20-27--47 in 64 matches last season. Imbeault's failure to score in the shootout marked the first time he has been stopped in six attempts this season.

Mazzolini continues his point-a-game clip -- he owns 14-20--34 totals in 34 games. Blackwater has at least one point in all three Aces games since being acquired from Stockton last week -- he owns 1-3-4 totals in that span.

The Aces have gone 1-3-2 against the Condors this season.

Wednesday's game opened a stretch of four matches in five nights for the Aces. They play at Ontario on Friday and Saturday nights, and at Stockton on Sunday.

Naglich owns a four-game point streak and is 3-3--6 in that stretch.

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

Bakersfield wins shootout 2-0

Aces 1 1 1 0 -- 3

Bakersfield 0 1 2 1 -- 4

First Period -- 1, Aces, Imbeault 18 (Blackwater, Martin), 15:11. Penalties -- Macenauer, Bakersfield (hooking), 1:07; Eichenlaub, Bakersfield (roughing), 5:40; Peluso, Aces (hooking), 16:25; Donally, Bakersfield (high-sticking), 17:19; Doyle, Aces (tripping), 18:06.

Second Period -- 2, Aces, McBride 3 (Boguniecki, Mazzolini), :39; 3, Bakersfield, Menei 10 (Aubin, Regan), 1:14. Penalties -- Johnson, Aces (hooking), 1:32; Naglich, Bakersfield (holding), 6:26; Kotsopoulos, Aces (tripping), 9:50; Green, Aces (holding), 15:05; Goulet, Bakersfield, double minor (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct), 20:00; McBride, Aces (unsportsmanlike conduct), 20:00.

Third Period -- 4, Aces, Fast 6 (Boguniecki, Mazzolini), 2:18; 5, Bakersfield, Naglich 7 (Mitera, Lizon), 7:20; 6, Bakersfield, Regan 10 (Naglich), 19:28. Penalties -- Mitera, Bakersfield (high-sticking), 3:39; Turek, Aces (slashing), 10:04; Crum, Aces (hooking), 15:15.

Overtime -- None. Penalties -- Kotsopoulos, Aces (holding), 2:19; Stoflet, Bakersfield (slashing), 4:37.

Shootout -- Bakersfield 2 (Menei G, Goulet G, Macenauer NG, Aubin NG), Aces 0 (Stefanishion NG, Mazzolini NG, Imbeault NG, Blackwater NG).

Shots on goal -- Aces 5-7-3-0--15. Bakersfield 15-15-13-3--45.

Power-play Opportunities -- Aces 0 of 6; Bakersfield 0 of 8.

Goalies -- Aces, Doyle, 9-3-2 (45 shots-42 saves). Bakersfield, Pielmeier, 19-9-3 (15-12).

A -- 3,652 (9,000). T -- 2:35.

Referee -- Joe Sullivan. Linesmen -- Kyle Mellor, Michel Voyer.