In the lore of Alaska Aces' short-handed history, David Eddy's performance Friday night in a 4-3 overtime loss at Idaho - the winger racked two short-handed strikes in one period - gets high marks.
Even with that high-caliber contribution, though, he's at best third on the all-time list of Aces who have delivered sweet penalty-killing prowess.
After all, in the 2006 ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs, Aces center Kimbi Daniels twice scored shorties when his club was at a two-man disadvantage.
And in 2007, center Vladimir Novak punked the Utah Grizzlies for two shorties on the same penalty kill.
Still, extra credit to Eddy for racking the Aces' first two short-handed goals of the season 21 hockey games in the campaign. Eddy bookended his goals - one came in the opening minute of the second period, to give the Aces a 2-1 lead, and the other came with just 66 seconds left in the period, and generated a 3-2 lead.
He also had a fight, which left him just an assist shy of a Gordie Howe hat trick - which, remember, Eddy bagged earlier this season with a goal, an assist and a fight in one game.
In any event, the Aces (13-7-1) never trailed Friday until Idaho captain Justin Mercier roofed a shot 37 seconds into overtime off an assist from Brett Robinson, who also assisted on Dan DeLisle's goal to forge a 3-3 tie with less than eight minutes left in regulation.
All the Aces goals came on special teams.
Peter Sivak snapped his seven-game goal drought, and the Aces' string of 26 consecutive fruitless power plays, when he opened the scoring midway through the first period.
Aces newcomer Alex Kangas, the former University of Minnesota masked man, not only made his club debut, but his first appearance in two years - he's endured hip problems.
Kangas gave a credible performance on a night when Olivier Roy got a night off. Kangas stopped 22 shots.
Meanwhile, Idaho (13-6-4) received another strong night from goalie Josh Robinson, who in two seasons has owned the Aces. Robinson stopped 35 shots. In eight games against the Aces, he is 7-1-0 with a 2.13 goals-against average and .938 save percentage.
The Aces and Steelheads wrap their three-game series Saturday night in a match that also closes the Aces' eight-game road trip. They are 2-5-0 on the journey.
Aces 1 2 0 3
Idaho 1 1 1 1 4
First Period - 1, Aces, Sivak 7 (Trupp, Sisca), 10:37 (pp); 2, Idaho, Nigro 12 (Cullity, Wahl), 14:21 (pp). Penalties - Grant, Idaho (hooking), 9:23; Mele, Aces (goaltender interference), 14:04; Molle, Aces (slashing), 19:39.
Second Period - 3, Aces, Eddy 2 (Mazzolini), :23 (sh); 4, Idaho, Grant 8 (Nigro, Wahl), 12:48 (pp); 5, Aces, Eddy 3, 18:54 (sh). Penalties - Kipp, Idaho (tripping), :46; B. Robinson, Idaho (tripping), 5:03; Crum, Aces (cross-checking), 7:49; Mercier, Idaho (roughing, 9:42); Richard, Aces (roughing), 9:42; Aces bench minor, served by Sisca (too many men), 12:28; Crum, Aces (interference), 18:22.
Third Period - 6, Idaho, DeLisle 1 (B. Robinson, Good), 12:33. Penalties - Cullity, Idaho (delay of game), 1:38; Elbrecht, Idaho, major (fighting), 4:36; Eddy, Aces, major (fighting), 4:36; Sivak, Aces (high-sticking), 5:26; Cullity, Idaho (holding), 15:15.
Overtime - 7, Idaho, Mercier 9 (B. Robinson), :37. Penalties - None.
Shots on goal - Aces 14-12-12-0--38. Idaho 12-7-5-2--26.
Power-play Opportunities - Aces 1 of 5. Idaho 2 of 6.
Goalies - Aces, Kangas, 0-0-1 (26 shots-22 saves). Idaho, Robinson, 8-1-1 (38-35).
A - 3,917 (5,006). T - 2:34.
Referee - Peter Tarnaris. Linesmen - Scott DeBaugh, Andrew Wetzel.
Find Doyle Woody's blog at adn.com/hockeyblog
By DOYLE WOODY