Tyler Currier is a forward by trade, but the versatility that allows him to also play defense could be the edge he needs to make the Alaska Aces roster.
With the defending Kelly Cup champions short on blueliners in the preseason, Currier, the former UAA skater from Anchorage, played defense in Tuesday night's 3-1 exhibition loss to the expansion Indy Fuel at Sullivan Arena.
Currier, a second-year pro who played his rookie season for current Indy bench boss Scott Hillman with Missouri of the Central Hockey League, was paired with steady veteran Corey Syvret. He also played on the power play and killed penalties.
Currier got off a rebound shot in the first period, but also failed to break up a 2-on-1 pass after he dropped to the ice in an attempt to stymie the play.
The Aces have received several players from the St. Louis Blues and expect more from the Minnesota Wild, and that winnows the number of open roster spots the ECHL champs have heading into the regular season.
Aces coach Rob Murray also needs to determine which goaltender will back up rookie Niklas Lundstrom, who was assigned to the Aces from the Blues. The battle is between Aaron Crandall, who helped out the Aces last season when they needed help in net, and rookie Andy Iles, who enjoyed a strong four-year run at Cornell.
Crandall enhanced his chances Tuesday, when he stopped 20 of 21 shots before giving way to Iles halfway through the game. Iles stopped 10 of 12 shots.
Crandall's best work arguably came in the final minute of the first period on that 2-on-1, which came with Currier the only Aces skater back to defend. Crandall, one his belly in the snow-angel position, extended his left pad to make a save and smothered the rebound.
The only goal Crandall surrendered came on the power play early in the second period, when the Fuel caught the Aces in transition. Taylor Law cranked a slap shot from the left circle past Crandall's stick side for a 1-0 lead.
Indy boosted its advantage to 2-0 late in the second period when Rhett Bly cleaned up a rebound of Kenton Miller's slot shot on the rush. Bryon Paulazzo's goal midway through the third period pushed the cushion to 3-0.
The Aces finally scored with less than eight minutes to go. Chris Francis flicked a power-play wrister through traffic from atop the left circle.
Fuel goalie Sean Bonar, a rookie from Princeton, proved sharp too -- he made 25 saves. In the second period, he got his right pad on Ross Ring-Jarvi's backhand bid when the winger got in alone. Bonar also got his right pad on Bryan Cameron's point-blank shot.
Shuffling the deck
Aces first-line winger Brendan Connolly sat out and said he won't play Wednesday. He underwent surgery on his left hand in July to repair a ruptured tendon on his pinky finger.
Connolly, who said the injury bothered him all last season when he was a principal contributor on the run to the Kelly Cup, said he will be ready to go for the season opener on Oct. 17 when the Aces will add their third Cup banner.
"Wouldn't miss the banner going down,'' Connolly said.
Connolly spent Tuesday serving as Mike Benton's color analyst for the radio and television broadcast.
Syvret, veteran defenseman Brad Cole and winger Justin Johnson each wore an "A'' as alternate captains for the Aces.
Reach reporter Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com and check out his blog at adn.com/hockey-blog
Indy 0 2 1 3
Aces 0 0 1 1
First Period -- None. Penalties – Franzon, Indy (cross-checking), 3:06; Currier, Aces (cross-checking), 3:06.
Second Period – 1, Indy, Law (Sternberg), 3:40 (pp); 2, Indy, Bly (Miller), 17:30. Penalties – Johnson, Aces (cross-checking), 1:56; Gotovets, Indy (holding), 4:13.
Third Period – 3, Indy, Paulazzo (McGuire), 9:40; 4, Aces, Francis (Syvret, Zollars), 12:39 (pp) Penalties – Johnson, Aces, major (fighting), 1:23; McGuire, Indy, major (fighting), 1:23; Wolfe, Aces (slashing), 3:44; Heffernan, Aces (hooking), 6:35; Swindlehurst, Indy (interference), 12:39.
Shots on goal – Indy 15-12-6—33. Aces 6-12-8—26.
Power-play Opportunities – Indy 1 of 4. Aces 1 of 3.
Goalies – Indy, Bonar, (26 shots-25 saves). Aces, Crandall (21-20); Iles, enter 10:23 2nd period (12-10).
A – 3,248 (6,399). T – 2:14.
Referee – Andrew Wilk. Linesmen – Scott Sivulich, Steve Glines.