The Alaska Aces' 4-2 ECHL road loss to the Idaho Steelheads on Saturday night, which leveled them at .500 again, delivered several illustrations why they have been so mediocre this hockey season.
Trailing 3-2 in the third period, the Aces were afforded four power plays, including one two-man advantage that stretched for 48 seconds. Yet they failed to summon the equalizer against former Aces goaltender Olivier Roy (35 saves) and went 0 for 8 before a near sell-out crowd at CenturyLink Arena in Boise to match their most futile power-play performance this season.
The Aces (15-15-2) entered the evening with a power-play goal in three of their four previous games. For the season, though, they have been only a marginal threat, converting 12.9 percent of their power-play chances.
First periods have proved friendly for the Aces on the road, and that was again the case Saturday.
Despite Greg Wolfe's first-period deflection goal on a Bryan Cameron shot to offset an earlier goal by Idaho's Jefferson Dahl, the Aces trailed 3-1 at the first intermission. James Livingston and Jason Bast scored for the Steelheads (22-10-3), who have won five straight games and are 5-0-1 in their last six.
Saturday marked the second straight night the Aces trailed 3-1 at the break. They have trailed after 20 minutes in eight of their 14 road games and gone 1-7-0 in those matches. When the Aces are tied or lead after one period on the road, they are 4-2-0.
Goaltending has been an issue too, and it was again Friday. Alaska back-up Aaron Crandall, who stopped all 16 shots he faced in Friday's 4-3 loss to Idaho after replacing Niklas Lundstrom, surrendered three first-period goals on 10 shots. He stopped the remaining 17 shots he faced, but the damage was done.
The Aces entered with a team save percentage of .887, fifth-worst on the 28-team circuit. A team save percentage of better than .900 is all but essential for success.
If the Aces had a .900 to this point, they would have allowed 11 fewer goals. That's no small thing for a team that essentially owns eight one-goal losses among its 15 -- six true one-goal losses and two two-goal losses that included empty-net goals by opponents -- as well as one overtime loss and one shootout loss.
Wolfe seized a turnover late in the second period and fed Ryan Walters for a goal that cut Idaho's lead to 3-2 and marked Walters' eighth goal in the last eight games.
That furnished the Aces hope, but their power play proved hopeless and Bast's empty-net goal sealed the win and tied him with Aces winger Olivier Archambault for the league lead in rookie goals at 18.
One of Alaska's strengths, its penalty-killing, proved rugged again. The Aces killed all four Idaho power plays and have killed 35 of 37 opposing power plays in the last nine games.
The Aces, 1-2-0 on their six-game road trip, open a three-game series Wednesday night against the Colorado Eagles.
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 0 -- 2
Idaho 3 0 1 -- 4
First Period – 1, Idaho, Dahl 1 (Shea, Livingston), 6:24; 2, Aces, Wolfe 13 (Cameron, Syvret), 7:13; 3, Aces, Livingston 9 (McDermott), 12:59. Penalties – Molle, Aces (high-sticking), 10:37; Patterson, Idaho (tripping), 14:20.
Second Period – 5, Aces, Walters 8 (Wolfe), 15:35. Penalties – Beck, Idaho (interference), :47; Dodero, Idaho (slashing), 4:23; Baldwin, Aces (roughing), 4:23; Cullity, Idaho (slashing), 4:27; Cole, Aces (slashing), 4:27; Livingston, Idaho, double-minor (attempted head-butting), 8:27; Cameron, Aces (slashing), 10:40; Cameron, Aces (delay of game-puck over glass), 17:22.
Third Period – 6, Idaho, Bast 18 (Beck), 19:19 (en). Penalties – Cullity, Idaho (holding), 2:19; Dodero, Idaho (high-sticking), 3:32; MacLeod, Idaho (tripping), 6:45; Cameron, Aces (slashing), 12:44; Roy, Idaho (high-sticking), 16:51; DiDiomete, Idaho, game misconduct (leaving bench), 20:00.
Shots on goal – Aces 12-13-12—37. Idaho 10-4-13—27.
Power-play Opportunities – Aces 0 of 8. Idaho 0 of 4.
Goalies – Aces, Crandall, 1-1-1 (27 shots-24 saves). Idaho, Roy, 19-6-2 (37-35).
A – 4,881 (5,006). T – 2:25.
Referee – Chris Pitoscia. Linesmen – Scott DeBaugh, Scott Ingraham.