Alaska Aces Hockey

Aces winger Sivak wins ECHL's Sportsmanship Award

Peter Sivak plays in all situations for the Alaska Aces, logging even-strength shifts on the first line, operating on the first power-play unit and killing penalties.

Figure him, safely, for 25 shifts in every hockey game of regulation length. With the 66 ECHL games Sivak had played this season, that math would gives him more than 1,600 shifts this season.

In that span, he delivered a team-leading 30 goals and 81 points to rank second among league scorers.

And he was whistled for a mere five minor penalties.

That excellent production and clean play, plus his league-leading plus-47 rating, earned Sivak the Sportsmanship Award in a vote of ECHL coaches, broadcasters, media relations directors and media.

The Sportsmanship Award honors the player judged "to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct with a high standard of playing ability.''

Sivak, 32, became the second Ace to win the award. Center Brian Swanson won it in 2011, when he generated 70 points in 69 games and took just 10 minor penalties.

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Only twice in 66 games was Sivak deemed guilty of a stick foul -- one slashing infraction and one high-sticking bust. His other three minor penalties were for hooking, interference and tripping. The Slovakian once went 13 games without taking a penalty, had similar stretches of 12 games and is sitting on his second straight of 11 games without an infraction.

Greenville Road Warriors forward Andrew Rowe finished second in voting after earning 30-34--64 totals and just 22 penalty minutes in 62 games.

Kalamazoo Wings defenseman Sam Ftorek, who like Sivak on Thursday was named All-ECHL First Team, finished third. He has furnished 13-34--47 totals in 70 games, with just 52 penalty minutes.

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

By DOYLE WOODY

dwoody@adn.com

Doyle Woody

Doyle Woody covered hockey and other sports for the Anchorage Daily News for 34 years.

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