Nearly two months into their hockey season, the Alaska Aces are back where they started – and that's not a good place.
The Aces' 6-4 loss at Idaho on Saturday night extended their losing streak to four games, matching their 0-4-0 start to the ECHL season.
The only difference is the first three of the Aces' four consecutive losses at season's start came on home ice at Sullivan Arena. Their current four-game losing streak was assembled entirely on the road, which sullied a 2-0-0 start to a two-week, six-game roadie that went south in the last week with a loss at Stockton, a loss at Utah and two losses at Idaho.
At 10-13-0, the Aces are assured of slumming below .500 at the one-third pole of the season (24 games) for the first time in their 12 ECHL seasons. Alaska, which sits last in the seven-team Pacific Division, hits the one-third pole Wednesday night when it entertains the Bakersfield Condors in the opener of a three-game series at Sullivan.
The Aces on Saturday did not succumb easily at CenturyLink Arena in Boise.
They answered Brett Robinson's opening goal less than five minutes into the game with an equalizer from Brendan Connolly just 26 seconds later.
After Idaho ballooned its second-period lead to 4-1 on power-play goals from Charlie Dodero and Brett Robinson – Connolly was boxed for a high-sticking double minor – winger Justin Johnson of Anchorage responded with his first two goals of the season to cut the visitors' deficit to 4-3.
After Idaho carried a 5-3 lead into the third period – Jason Bast delivered his team-high 14th goal late in the second period – Aces winger Tyler Currier of Anchorage furnished his first goal in an Alaska sweater early in the third period.
But Idaho's James Livingston gave his club another multiple-goal lead, this one at 6-4, when he scored midway through the third period.
Alaska's loss included many of the elements that have plagued it this season – giving up the game's first goal early, shaky goaltending, special-teams inferiority and lack of discipline.
Robinson's opening goal marked the fourth straight game, and ninth times in 23 games this season, the Aces have surrendered the game's opening goal within the first five minutes. Aces rookie Niklas Lundstrom stopped just 21 of 27 shots in his fourth straight start, and Idaho's Olivier Roy, the former Ace, made a season-high 36 saves.
The Aces also came up short on special teams. The Steelheads scored on both power plays Connolly's penalty furnished and the Aces also surrendered Bast's goal precisely as their power play expired. Alaska went 0 for 2 on the power play and went just 2 for 21 on the road trip; Alaska's opponents went 5 for 19 on the power play in that stretch.
Connolly's misconduct penalty after Idaho scored two goals on his high-sticking penalty against David de Kastrozza robbed Alaska of the services of its first-line left wing and alternate captain for 10 minutes.
Shuffling the deck
Aces defenseman Brad Richard was minus-3. That snapped a stretch of 10 straight games where he was either an even or plus player, and racked a combined plus-15 rating.
Richard's four-game point streak also was snapped.
Winger Raphael Bussieres was held off the score sheet for the first time in his four games with the Aces.
Connolly (one goal, one assist) and center Chris Francis (two helpers) each notched their seventh multiple-point games of the season, tying rookie winger Olivier Archambault for the team lead. Currier (one goal, one assist) and Johnson (two goals) each generated their first multiple-point games this season.
The Aces' 40 shots marked the sixth time they have mustered 40 or more shots in a game. They are 2-4-0 in those games.
The combined 10 goals matched the most in an Aces game this season. They have twice beaten Stockton 6-4.
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockeyblog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr.
Aces 1 2 1 4
Idaho 2 3 1 6
First Period – 1, Idaho, Robinson 3 (MacLeod, Case), 4:21; 2, Aces, Connolly 6 (Francis, Currier), 4:47; 3, Idaho, Patterson 3 (de Kastrozza), 7:59. Penalties – de Kastrozza, Idaho (hooking), 12:31.
Second Period – 4, Idaho, Dodero 3 (Bast), 5:22 (pp); 5, Idaho, Robinson 4 (Cullity, MacLeod), 6:56 (pp); 6, Aces, Johnson 1 (Wolfe, Jobke), 10:11; 7, Aces, Johnson 2 (Jobke, Walters), 14:59; 8, Idaho, Bast 14 (Quailer, Dodero), 18:23 (sh). Penalties – Connolly, Aces, double-minor (high-sticking), 3:55; Connolly, Aces (misconduct), 6:56; Case, Idaho (delay of game-puck over glass), 16:23.
Third Period – 9, Aces, Currier 1 (Connolly, Francis), 4:20; 10, Idaho, Livingston 5 (MacLeod), 11:14. Penalties -- None.
Shots on goal – Aces 9-14-17—40. Idaho 8-12-7—27.
Power-play Opportunities – Aces 0 of 2. Idaho 2 of 2.
Goalies – Aces, Lundstrom, 8-10-0 (27 shots-21 saves). Idaho, Roy, 12-6-1 (40-36).
A – 4,034 (5,006). T – 2:33.
Referee – Michael McCreary. Linesmen – Scott DeBaugh, Andrew Wetzel.