Abundant turnovers at the blue lines, those transgressions that produce counterattacks and complications, were removed from the Alaska Aces' performance Wednesday night.

Absent too, were the twin dangers of risky drop passes and forced plays.

Also missing was too much reliance on skill -- instead, the Aces leaned on savvy.

And less really proved more, which the Aces showed in a 4-1 ECHL victory over the Bakersfield Condors at Sullivan Arena that was borne from sheer, hard, relentless labor.

For a team that is so short-handed it dressed nine forwards, many of them cut from the grinder mold, simplicity and sweat forged bliss.

"The game plan was to keep it simple -- don't turn the puck over at the blue lines, forecheck hard, don't force passes," said Aces center Evan Kotsopoulos. "You turn the puck over, and it makes it hard on everyone. We were just smart in our decisions and our puck control."

They smartly stayed out of the penalty box too. The three power plays Bakersfield enjoyed matched the fewest the Aces have given an opponent this season. Plus, the game zipped past in 2 hours, 10 minutes, the second-fastest match Alaska has played this season.

The victory that snapped a two-game losing streak for the Aces (21-21-4) and leveled them at .500 for the fifth time this season was generated by cycling the puck deep in the Condors' zone for long stretches. That allowed Alaska to wear down Bakersfield (26-13-3), which lost a third straight game for the first time this season, and seize the opener of the three-game series that continues Friday and Saturday nights.

It also furnished a relatively easy night for Frank Doyle (27 saves), who was acquired in a New Year's Day trade and earlier Wednesday was named the ECHL's Goaltender of the Month for January.

"Easily the best game we've played," Doyle said. "We spent the majority of the game in their zone. That's what we like as goalies. When they did get shots, 90 to 95 percent were wide-angle shots."

Justin Johnson's goal four minutes into the second period to give the Aces a 2-0 lead perfectly illustrated Alaska's success cycling the puck down low in Bakersfield's zone.

The line of Kotsopoulos and wingers Johnson and Jason Ryznar, and the defensive pairing of Derick Martin and Nick Tuzzolino worked the puck for nearly an entire shift before Kotsopoulos, stationed below the goal line on right wing, made a spin move to shed a defenseman. He centered to Johnson, who banged a point-blank shot past Condors goalie Timo Pielmeier (24 saves).

T.J. Fast's goal in Alaska's three-goal second period also came off the cycle game. This time, Merit Waldrop wheeled off the wall on left wing, cut to the bottom of the circle and threaded a cross-crease pass to Fast, who broke to the net from the right point and one-timed a shot Pielmeier had no chance to stop.

Waldrop, a former pro and former UAA skater who is a residential real estate appraiser by day and has spent several nights recently helping the short-handed Aces, has registered three assists in five games.

Bakersfield is short-handed in quality depth at the moment. Although coach Marty Raymond dressed a full lineup, the Condors have a slew of players up in the American Hockey League. Still, he praised Alaska's simplicity and labor, and said his team did not come close to matching those qualities.

"It was a stale effort -- no excuses," Raymond said. "Our D-zone coverage was atrocious."

The Aces also received a first-period, power-play goal from Judd Blackwater in his debut at Sullivan -- he was acquired from Stockton last month in a trade for Colin Hemingway. Veteran winger Eric Boguniecki also delivered a goal.

Alaska was short-handed because of injuries, but also because winger Matt Stefanishion on Tuesday was shipped to Charlotte to complete the trade for Doyle; leading scorer Alexandre Imbeault left the team to play in Europe earlier this week; and leading goal scorer John Lammers remains on promotion to Providence of the American Hockey League.

The Aces also lost Anthony Peluso after the game -- he was scheduled to fly out of town and meet AHL Peoria, the Aces' affiliate, on the road in Texas.

Despite the depleted lineup, Boguniecki said, the Aces are thinking long-term and like the team they have in place.

"The room is great," Boguniecki said. "Everyone's upbeat. To me, it's a sense of relief, and these are guys who want to be here. And guys now know, here's a chance to step up and get ice time."

Doyle's bid for a second shutout for the Aces was spoiled when Condors defenseman Eric Regan generated a splendid short-handed goal midway through the third period.

Regan broke up a play in neutral ice, skated into the Aces' zone and, while surrounded by four Aces and getting hacked, snapped a shot from the hash marks between Doyle's right arm and body. Doyle said he was unprepared because he didn't think Regan would be able to get off a shot.

"Lesson learned for me: Always be ready," Doyle said. "Give credit to him -- great shot."

Still, the Aces earned the win before an announced crowd of 3,637 to move back into fifth place in the eight-team National Conference.

"It was good to control the game like that, and it's a huge two points," Kotsopoulos said. "Every point is crucial this time of year."

Shuffling the deck

Congratulations to Condors coach Raymond and his wife, Jessica, who Wednesday afternoon gave birth to their daughter, Anna Michelle.

Raymond, who said his daughter arrived early, was scheduled to fly out of Anchorage after the game and return home to be with his family. In his absence, Raymond said, former Condors defenseman Quinn Fair is flying up from Seattle to coach the team on the weekend.

Wednesday's win marked the second time in seven meetings this season the Aces have beaten the Condors in regulation.

The only Aces' game faster than Wednesday's this season was a 3-2 loss at Idaho on Dec. 19 -- that match took 2:05.

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

Bakersfield 0 0 1 -- 1

Aces 1 3 0 -- 4

First Period -- 1, Aces, Blackwater 16 (Turek, Boguniecki), 7:06 (pp). Penalties -- Eichenlaub, Bakersfield (hooking), 5:44; Ryznar, Aces (goaltender interference), 9:51.

Second Period -- 2, Aces, Johnson 3 (Kotsopoulos, Martin), 4:05; 3, Aces, Boguniecki 10, 9:42; 4, Aces, Fast 8 (Waldrop, Peluso), 17:45. Penalties -- Crum, Aces, major (fighting), 7:17; McCue, Bakersfield, minor-major, served by Aubin (instigator, fighting), 7:17.

Third Period -- 5, Bakersfield, Regan 11, 9:39 (sh). Penalties -- Macenauer, Bakersfield (tripping), 8:13; Naglich, Bakersfield (hooking), 13:38; Peluso, Aces (tripping), 15:13; Tuzzolino, Aces (tripping), 18:34.

Shots on goal -- Bakersfield 10-6-12--28. Aces 12-11-5--28.

Power-play Opportunities -- Bakersfield 0 of 3; Aces 1 of 4.

Goalies -- Bakersfield, Pielmeier, 19-12-3 (28 shots-24 saves). Aces, Doyle, 11-4-2 (28-27).

A -- 3,637 (6,396). T -- 2:09.

Referee -- Keith Kaval. Linesmen -- Steve Glines, Will Moran.

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