The hits just keep coming for the Alaska Aces – they're absorbing them literally and figuratively.
And their lineup is more wrecked after Friday's 2-1 victory over the Colorado Eagles, courtesy of more injuries and a suspension.
The ECHL on Saturday suspended Aces rookie center Greg Wolfe for his major boarding penalty in the third period Friday against Colorado forward Chris Knowlton, who was send hard into the boards and looked very banged up as he was helped off the ice to the dressing room. Knowlton did not return.
Wolfe will sit out tonight. He's suspended until the league conducts a review. If he has anything in his favor, it is that the penalty was unlike him – Wolfe entered Friday's game having been whistled for just six penalty minutes, three minors, in 45 games. Unsure of Knowlton's status, but it was spooky how hard and awkwardly he slammed into the boards – you can only hope the best for him (if you do not, you have no soul).
In Colorado's 4-3 shootout win Wednesday, Aces center Ryan Tesink was leveled by a head shot from Colorado defenseman Teigan Zahn, who received a two-minute minor but no additional discipline from the league. Tesink is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury – the guess here is he's done for the regular season, which has 14 games remaining for the Aces.
Aces coach Rob Murray said one incident (Zahn-Tesink) has no bearing on another (Wolfe-Knowlton).
"There's no free pass,'' he said. "One doesn't trump the other. They're individual situations. To watch the way (Knowlton) went into the boards, it was dangerous.''
The Aces on Saturday will also be without winger Curt Gogol (lower-body) and defenseman Felix Poulin (upper-body), both of whom were injured Friday. Alaska already is without Tesink, center Tim Coffman (upper-body) and goaltender Troy Redmann (upper-body). Friday, the Aces got winger Brendan Connolly and defenseman Corey Syvret back in the lineup – Connolly had missed nine games (upper-body) and Syvret had missed 22 (lower-body).
Without Coffman, Tesink and now Wolfe, the Aces are very thin at center as they chase Utah for the Pacific Division's final playoff spot.
Murray said his three centers Saturday will be Chris Francis, Michael Markovic and Justin Breton, who usually plays left wing.
Winger Dean Chelios, acquired in a trade with the Indy Fuel, will be in the lineup tonight, Murray said. He also has signed defenseman Scott Warner, who has helped the team out this season. The former Seawolf is an engineer in Anchorage.
The additions of Chelios and Warner will give Murray a full lineup – 10 forwards and six defensemen. It's just not his best lineup. That's the game.
And, really, compared to the six or seven past seasons I've tracked in regard to injuries, the Aces this season have suffered their fewest injuries in that span this season. It's just that they've suffered a glut of them at the worst time – when they are trying to push their way into the playoffs.
Redmann remains out, by the way, which means the Aces could use another performance from Niklas Lundstrom like the one he delivered Friday, when he made 39 saves and was, it says here, sharper than he has been all season.