Jaromir Blagr: The Hockey Blog

Aces update, and other pucks notes

Stopped by Sullivan Arena late Thursday morning to catch up with the Alaska Aces and find center Tim Coffman practicing and seemingly doing fine after being momentarily hobbled when he blocked a shot late in Alaska's 6-1 win over Bakersfield on Wednesday night.

Coffman practiced and looked completely normal.

The Aces could have center Ryan Tesink back in the lineup Friday. He missed Wednesday's game with illness, coach Rob Murray said, and that was after missing a six-game road trip with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, defenseman Quinn Sproule, who is out with an upper-body injury, has missed the last two games. Forward/defenseman Tyler Currier, who missed Wednesday's game with illness, practiced Thursday. Murray said defenseman Dustin Molle, who has been helping the Aces out during the season, could be back in the lineup Friday to give the Aces a full complement of six defensemen -- they played with 5 D on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Condors should have the Jones twins, dynamic rookie forwards Kellen and Connor, back by Friday's game. They've been up in the AHL. Their return should furnish the Condors a helluva boost -- Connor owns 9-16--25 totals in 25 ECHL games and Kellen checks in at 6-17--23 in 25 ECHL games.

Speaking of Bakersfield, which is owned by NHL Edmonton -- the Oilers AHL affiliate, Oklahoma City, on Thursday announced it will cease operations at season's end. Speculation is that is a domino falling that will eventually lead to Bakersfield becoming an AHL franchise operated by the Oilers. And all that is part of speculation that the AHL as early as next season will field several AHL teams. If so, and if many of those teams are in ECHL markets that become AHL markets, that fallout could have some effect on the Aces. Stay tuned.

Lastly, the New York Rangers reported that winger Joey Crabb of Anchorage, the former NHLer who plays for the Rangers' AHL affiliate in Hartford, is being isolated from teammates and tested for mumps. Tough break.

Doyle Woody

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

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