All that proven, professional and veteran offensive scoring prowess coursing through the Alaska Aces' forward lines, and it turns out a couple of kids -- rookies, no less -- unlimber the heavy artillery in the season opener.

Hockey, like life, is not without irony.

Or drama, which is what unfolded inside Sullivan Arena on Friday night, when the Aces coupled Jack Combs' last-minute goal with Chris Morehouse's short-handed strike to forge a 2-1 ECHL win over the Victoria Salmon Kings.

Combs, 21, ended his pro debut by banking in a goal off the left post during a goal-mouth scramble with 56.3 seconds remaining and sending a crowd of 5,163 into delirium.

The result bookended an evening that began with the Aces unfolding four banners to commemorate their regular-season and playoff titles last season in both the West Division and National Conference.

The game-winning play began as a 3-on-2, with center Alexandre Imbeault feeding defenseman Derick Martin in the slot. Martin's shot hit a defenseman, and he and Imbeault jabbed away at the loose puck as Victoria goaltender John Murray (28 saves) scrambled in search of the loose biscuit.

"I saw it the whole way,'' Combs said. "I turned around, spun, closed my eyes, put it on net and prayed for the best.''

Still, he is not unaccustomed to scoring -- Combs bagged 74 goals his last two years of major-junior. Even so, he found Friday thrilling. His first pro goal proved the game winner on home ice, lifting the Aces to their sixth consecutive win in a home opener.

"Honestly, I couldn't have written a better script,'' Combs said. "Unbelievable feeling. I'm just happy I could chip in and help us get a win.''

Yet the Aces' win was not secured until goalie Sebastian Dahm (30 saves) withstood the chaos around his crease in the waning seconds.

"He wants to get back to the American Hockey League,'' said Aces captain Scott Burt. "The only way you do that is go out, work hard and do what he did tonight.''

Friday's opener of a three-game series pitted West Division rivals -- Alaska eliminated Victoria in five games in the division finals last season -- that each harbor lofty goals. The Aces, who last season lost Game 7 of the Kelly Cup Finals to the South Carolina Stingrays, grinded through training camp with a motto printed on the back of T-shirts: "Mission: Unfinished Business.'' The T-shirt sported by the Salmon Kings, who are so loaded up front their lineup looks like a convention for snipers: "Together...We Will.''

The Aces got the jump on the Salmon Kings while killing a penalty in the first period. Burt outworked two Salmon Kings in the right corner while another Salmon King lingered nearby behind the goal line. With his face to the glass, Burt flicked a backhand pass to Morehouse, who was stationed in the low slot.

"I kind of looked and saw Morehouse out front, and won that battle,'' Burt said. "In all honesty, it was a lucky backhand pass, and fortunate that defenseman peeled off behind the net.''

Morehouse, all alone before Murray, flicked a shot that glanced off the junction of the left pipe and the crossbar and banked in.

"It was a floater,'' said Morehouse, 22. "It seemed to take forever.''

The Salmon Kings earned the equalizer, though, early in the second period from Wes Goldie, whose goal-scoring is as predictable as the sunrise. Goldie, who launched a game-high seven shots on goal Friday and whose 90 goals the last two seasons led all ECHL scorers, took a pass from Dirk Southern and rifled a slot shot over Dahm's glove.

The clubs traded chances all night. Each failed on an extended 5-on-3 advantage and each went 0 for 6 on the power play, but much of that had to do with the goalies.

"The goalies on both sides played pretty good,'' said Victoria center Olivier Filion, the former Ace. "There were a lot of scoring chances around the net.''

And two of those chances were cashed in by Combs and Morehouse.

"I was very proud of the way the young guys played,'' said Aces first-year coach Brent Thompson. "They took the opportunities they were given and ran with them.''

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

Victoria 0 1 0 -- 1

Aces 1 0 1 -- 2

First Period -- 1, Aces, Morehouse 1 (Burt), 9:43 (sh). Penalties -- Burt, Aces (hooking), 3:38; Howes, Victoria (holding the stick), 6:26; Lammers, Aces (charging the goaltender), 8:17; Hamilton, Victoria (hooking), 19:59.

Second Period -- 2, Victoria, Goldie (Southern), 5:16. Penalties -- Hamilton, Victoria (cross-checking), 5:45; Aces bench minor, served by Galbraith (too many men), 7:47; Burt, Aces (hooking), 9;02; Martin, Aces (roughing), 9:54; Hamilton, Victoria (roughing), 9:54; Peluso, Aces (roughing), 14:45.

Third Period -- 3, Aces, Combs 1 (Imbeault, Martin), 19:57. Penalties -- Gladue, Victoria (tripping), 4:41; Brandt, Victoria (slashing), 5:22; Tifu, Victoria (hooking), 13:05; Tuzzolino, Aces (holding), 14:32.

Shots on goal -- Victoria 7-15-9--31. Aces 11-9-10--30.

Power-play Opportunities -- Victoria 0 of 6. Aces 0 of 6.

Goalies -- Victoria, Murray, 0-1-0 (30 shots, 28 saves). Aces, Dahm, 1-0-0 (31-29).

A -- 5,163 (6,251) 2:21.

Referee -- Jarrod Ragusin. Linesmen -- Steve Glines, Travis Jackson.

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