Sports

Aces' early-season slide continues in 6-3 loss at Bakersfield

The Alaska Aces solved a couple of their early season shortcomings Thursday night, when they scored the first goal of the hockey game for the first time this season and managed more than one goal for the first time in those four games.

But they did not remedy their most fatal flaw – their zero in the win column of the ECHL standings.

Alaska's 6-3 loss at Bakersfield in its first road game extended the franchise's worst start in 12 seasons on the circuit and also continued to illuminate myriad weaknesses.

The second period continued to ail the Aces (0-4-0) – the Condors outscored them 3-1 in those 20 minutes and the Aces have been outscored 10-1 in second periods.

The Aces' power play again came up small when it mattered – Alaska failed on its first six chances before center Chris Francis' late man-advantage marker snapped Alaska's 0 for 18 start this season on the power play.

And goaltending continues to underwhelm – starter Niklas Lundstrom got the hook from coach Rob Murray deep into the third period after surrendering four goals on 11 shots.

Alaska continues its three-game road trip in California with games Friday and Saturday nights at Stockton (2-1-0).

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The Aces' four consecutive losses tie the fourth-longest losing streak in the franchise's ECHL history.

Alaska's loss Thursday came despite outshooting Bakersfield, 36-21, at Rabobank Arena and enjoying seven power-play chances to Bakersfield's three.

The Aces got off to a promising start when center Tim Coffman rifled a wrister past Bakersfield goalie Ty Rimmer (33 saves) nine minutes into the game. That marked the first time Alaska has opened the scoring.

Bakersfield's Jonathan Lessard authored the equalizer seven minutes later when he bolted out of the penalty box, took a lead pass from defenseman Joe Marciano and beat Lundstrom on a breakaway for a 1-1 tie.

The Condors (2-2-0) gained their first lead at 2-1 just 40 seconds into the second period when former Aces alternate captain Jordan Kremyr scored his first goal for the club he now captains. Again, the Aces showed promise – rookie winger Olivier Archambault, who enjoyed glorious chances in three losses to Ontario, beat Rimmer just 30 seconds later to forge a 2-2 tie.

Alaska's goals from Coffman and Archambault marked the club's first goals this season from someone other than rookie defenseman Quinn Sproule. The former Seawolf, a scratch Thursday, scored the only two markers Alaska mustered in the home-ice losses to Ontario.

But Condors defenseman Graeme Craig scored on a power-play one-timer midway through the period and Lessard prompted Lundstrom's exit nearly 16 minutes into the period when he scored his second goal for a 4-2 Bakersfield lead. Lessard has scored at least one point in all four Condors games.

Colin Joe pushed Bakersfield's advantage to 5-2 late in the third period before Francis scored his first Aces goal. Josh Currie added an empty-net goal for Bakersfield in the final minute after Lundstrom's replacement, Andy Iles, went off for an extra attacker.

Francis' goal is the only goal Alaska's first line has furnished this season. Francis centers returning winger Brendan Connolly and rookie winger Greg Wolfe. Those three, along with defensemen Brad Richard and Corey Syvret, also comprise the first power-play unit.

Shuffling the deck

Archambault's goal and assist was the first multiple-point game by an Ace this season. He led all shooters with five shots on goal.

Aces defenseman Corbin Baldwin, assigned to the club from AHL Iowa, went plus-1 in his Alaska debut, making him the only Alaska player with a plus rating.

The Aces have surrendered a power-play goal in all four games.

Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockey-blog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr

Aces 1 1 1 3

Bakersfield 1 3 2 6

First Period – 1, Aces, Coffman 1 (Pochiro, Cole), 9:05; 2, Bakersfield, Lessard 3 (Marciano), 16:05. Penalties – Joe, Bakersfield (holding), 1:50; Lessard, Bakersfield (tripping), 13:57.

Second Period – 3, Bakersfield, Kremyr 1 (Winquist, Joe), :40; 4, Aces, Archambault 1 (Cameron, Gregoire), 1:10; 5, Bakersfield, Craig 2 (Winquist, Holmberg), 10:04 (pp); 6, Bakersfield, Lessard 4 (Schaber, Pageau), 15:48. Penalties – Connolly, Aces (high-sticking), 6:30; Tesink, Aces (tripping), 8:38; Craig, Bakersfield (cross-checking), 11:30.

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Third Period – 7, Bakersfield, Joe 1 (Currie), 15:36; 8, Aces, Francis 1 (Archambault, Connolly), 18:15 (pp); 9, Bakersfield, Currie 1, 19:29 (en). Penalties – Verpaest, Bakersfield (hooking), 7:06; Cole, Aces (holding), 10:52; McKenzie, Bakersfield (delay of game), 16:07; Verreault-Paul, Bakersfield, minor-major (roughing, fighting), 17:30; Richard, Aces, major (fighting), 17:30; Lessard, Bakersfield, major (fighting), 20:00; Pochiro, Aces, major (fighting), 20:00.

Shots on goal – Aces 15-12-9—36. Bakersfield 5-7-9—21.

Power-play Opportunities – Aces 1 of 7. Bakersfield 1 of 3.

Goalies – Aces, Lundstrom, 0-3-0 (11 shots-7 saves), Iles, enter 15:48 2nd period (9-8). Bakersfield, Rimmer, 2-2-0 (36-33).

A – 2,553 (8,782). T – 2:20.

Referee – Stephen Reneau. Linesmen – Brett Martin, Tanner Nua.

Doyle Woody

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

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