Alaska News

Aces fall 3-1 to Colorado

The Alaska Aces' power play lost its potency Saturday night in a 3-1 ECHL hockey loss to the Colorado Eagles.

One night after the Aces scored five goals with the man advantage, they were scoreless on 10 power-play chances.

Garry Nunn got the only goal against rookie goaltender Adam Brown, who stopped 23 shots in his pro debut for Colorado. Brown is coming off a standout four-year career with the Kelowna Rockets in Canada's Western Hockey League.

The win gave Colorado a split of the two-game, season-opening series with the Aces, who took a 6-3 win Friday at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo.

Michael Forney scored twice to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead after two periods. He scored on a wrist shot midway through the first period and roofed a backhand over Mark Guggenberger on a second-period power play.

The Aces had plenty of chances those period, but came up empty on four first-period power plays and three second-period power plays.

Things got a little testy in the second period. The teams combined for 11 penalties, with Brandon Dubinsky of Alaska and Cody Sol of Colorado both picking up roughing penalties at 14:04 and Sol and Dustin Molle of Alaska both getting fighting majors at 19:40.

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Nunn cut Colorado's lead to 2-1 with a goal at 12:49 of the third period. He beat Brown from a sharp angle on a setup by Tommy Mele, who scored four points in the two games.

Colorado twice denied the Aces on power plays late in the third period and then iced the game with an empty-net goal from Joey Sides, who intercepted a pass at center ice.

The Eagles outshot the Aces 27-24.

The Aces return home to Sullivan Arena for games Friday and Saturday against the Utah Grizzlies.

Alaska 0 0 1 - 1

Colorado 1 1 1 - 3

1st Period — 1, Colorado, Forney 1 (Schneekloth), 9:25. Penalties — Sides, Col (high-sticking), :13; Moore, Col (delay of game), 4:10; Robinson, Aces (hooking), 4:23; Ward, Aces (tripping), 9:56; Beatty, Col (tripping), 13:40; Chorneyko Col (high-sticking), 15:46.

2nd Period — 2, Colorado, Forney 2 (Combs, Costello), 14:42 (PP). Penalties — Ward, Aces (boarding), 1:39; Schneekloth, Col (hooking), 3:06; Moore, Col (elbowing), 4:31; Ward, Aces (holding), 5:17; Thompson, Aces (roughing), 7:54; Dubinsky, Aces (boarding, roughing), 14:06; Sol, Col (roughing), 14:06; Nelson, Col (hooking), 16:28; Mele, Aces (interference on the goalkeeper), 17:33; Molle, Aces (slashing, fighting major), 19:40; Sol, Col (fighting major), 19:40.

3rd Period — 3, Alaska, Nunn 1 (Mele, Mazzolini), 12:49. 4, Colorado, Sides 2, 19:13 (SH EN). Penalties — Harrison, Aces (tripping), 5:09; Marto, Col (delay of game), 8:44; Ezekiel, Col (interference), 17:13; Moore, Col (tripping), 19:13.

Shots on Goal — Alaska 9-8-7—24. Colorado 8-11-8—27.

Power Play Opportunities — Alaska 0 of 10; Colorado 1 of 9.

Goalies — Alaska, Guggenberger 0-1-0-0 (26 shots-24 saves). Colorado, Brown 1-0-0-0 (24 shots-23 saves).

A — 5,289.

Referee — Ryan Murphy. Linesmen — Seth Mukai, Chris Wilson.

Anchorage Daily News

sports@adn.com

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