Another Ace goes up to AHL

Lately, it has become a departure point.

Rookie winger Chris Bruton on Tuesday became the latest Aces skater to move up to the American Hockey League -- he was loaned to the Peoria Rivermen.

That move came one day after defenseman Russ Sinkewich was loaned to the AHL's Abbotsford Heat.

Meanwhile, two Aces wingers -- Scott Howes and Tyler Ruegsegger -- are up with the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The Tigers also have center Chris Langkow, who skated for the Aces last season and was ticketed for Anchorage this season before the Tigers snapped him up the second Peoria released him from training camp.

Aces coach Rob Murray, who spent the three previous seasons as an AHL head coach, said the run on Aces talent is a reflection of good players on an outstanding team. The Aces (18-4-2) lead the 20-team ECHL and have earned points in 12 straight games (10-0-2).

"In the American League, a lot of times when you need a player, you're looking at stats, who's scoring, who's leading the league,'' Murray said. "But you also look at good teams because they must have good players.''

The departures of Bruton and Sinkewich has reduced the Aces to just 16 skaters -- 10 forwards and six defensemen. ECHL teams can dress a maximum of 16 skaters in a game and that complement is customarily 10 forwards and six blueliners.

Sinkewich's departure left the Aces with five defensemen, but Chad Anderson, who has missed the last 16 games with a broken foot, will be activated later this week before Alaska opens a three-game home series against Ontario, beginning Friday. Anderson has been back practicing since last week.

Of the Aces' 10 forwards, winger Zach Harrison has missed the last eight games with an upper-body injury. He has been practicing, but if he is unable to play this weekend, Murray said, the club could summon forward Phillip Ischi of Kenai, who was in Alaska's training camp.

Murray said he expects to have Bruton and Ruegsegger back for a series at Idaho, beginning a week from today. He expects Sinkewich to be gone for the next two weeks. Whether Howes ever returns remains a question mark -- he has scored five goals and seven points in eight games with Bridgeport Sound. Langkow, meanwhile, has not played since Oct. 22, when he took a hit to the head.

Bruton has played in all 24 Aces games, generating 5-6--11 totals, a plus-3 rating and a team-high 58 penalty minutes, including a team-high eight fights. Sinkewich in 23 games has put up 2-4--6 totals and a plus-13 rating.

Shuffling the deck

Rookie winger Jordan Kremyr, whose 3-3--6 and plus-6 totals in three wins last week included his first pro hat trick, was one of two runners-up for the ECHL Player of the Week honor.

The nod went to Colorado's Chad Costello, who went 3-2--5 and plus-7 in three games.

Gerald Coleman, a two-time Goaltender of the Week award winner this season, was a runner-up this week after going 2-0-0 with a 0.50 goals-against average, .979 save percentage and a shutout.

The award went to Greenville's Jason Missiaen, who was 2-0-0 with a 0.50 goals-against average, .986 save percentage and one shutout.

Through 14 of 36 home games, the Aces' average attendance of 4,286 is down slightly from last season's average of 4,351 -- that's 65 fewer fans per game. Alaska ranks ninth in attendance, same as last season.

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