The Alaska Aces of late have rocked one half of hockey's special-teams equation – their penalty-killing delivered again Wednesday.
But that other half of the equation – the power play – has basically been a bust, as it was again in a 3-1 ECHL road loss to the Ontario Reign in California.
On an evening when the Aces (29-24-7) killed both Reign (35-17-9) power plays, including one that lasted a full five minutes courtesy of a major boarding call against defenseman Evan Renwick, they didn't produce squat on their four power plays at Citizens Business Bank Arena.
Three of those man advantages came in the third period, when the Aces trailed 2-1, and before Maxim Kitsyn's empty-net goal furnished the Reign a two-goal cushion and earned the Russian a Gordie Howe Hat Trick – goal, assist, fight.
Alaska's loss, which snapped its five-game point streak (3-0-2) and came in the opener of a three-game set with the Reign to kick off a 10-game road trip, kept it from gaining ground on the Utah Grizzlies. The Grizzlies' hold on fourth place in the Pacific Division – that's the last playoff spot in the seven-team field – remained at three points over the Aces, who have two games in hand on Utah.
Both Alaska's penalty-killing prowess and pitiful power play are trending.
The Aces have killed 20 of 21 opposing power plays in the last five games and 15 straight in the last four games.
Yet they have also been fruitless on 21 consecutive power plays in the last five games and have converted just once in 40 chances during the last 10 games.
Defense and goaltending were not Alaska's shortcomings Wednesday. The Aces held the Reign to 25 shots and rookie Niklas Lundstrom stopped 22 of 24 shots while making his third straight start.
But the Aces mustered just 19 shots, a modest output against any masked man, and particularly so against Joe Cannata. The Reign goalie kept his save percentage at a smooth .927 and lowered his goals-against average to 2.02 in backstopping his club to its fourth straight victory.
Former Aces winger Garry Nunn opened the scoring less than four minutes into the game before an announced crowd of 6,186 by jamming home a rebound. That gives Nunn, who spent the first three-plus years of his career with the Aces before playing in Europe last season, 4-4—8 totals since Ontario acquired him from Gwinnett last week. His 17th goal of the season, which came with a helper from former Aces forward Judd Blackwater, also matched his ECHL career high.
Alaska answered 10 minutes later for a 1-1 tie on a wrister from Brendan Connolly – of course. All he's done in his three games since missing nine matches with an upper-body injury is rack up five goals. Connolly's team-leading 25th strike also delivered his ECHL career high. He has scored 22 goals or more in five consecutive seasons.
Given the Aces were outshot 11-5 in the opening 20 minutes and Ontario received the only power play in that span, they sat in solid position at the first intermission.
Renwick's major in the first minute of the second period forced the Aces onto the penalty-kill for five minutes, but they permitted Ontario just two shots on goal in that span. Three minutes after the Reign power play expired, Matt White danced around the defense, cut in on Lundstrom and slipped a backhander through the Swede's pads for a 2-1 lead.
Shuffling the deck
Winger Dean Chelios' assist on Connolly's goal gives him three assists in two games since the Aces acquired him for the Indy Fuel last week.
Nunn's 17th goal matched the career-high 17 he scored for the Aces in 2012-13, his last campaign with the club.
Kitsyn fought Renwick after the latter's hit on Josh Brittain. Renwick received a boarding major, fighting major and game misconduct for 20 penalty minutes. He entered with 11 penalty minutes in 15 games.
The Aces on Wednesday announced the signing of defenseman Nilan Nagy, who just wrapped up his college career at Holy Cross. He made his pro debut Wednesday and was minus-2 – granted, his second minus came on Kitsyn's empty-net goal.
Aces goalie Troy Redmann, who sat out the last two games with an upper-body injury, served as Lundstrom's back-up.
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockey-blog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr
Ontario 1 1 1 - 3
1st Period-1, Ontario, Nunn 17 (Julseth-White, Blackwater), 3:48. 2, Alaska, Connolly 25 (Chelios), 13:54. Penalties-Syvret Ak (high-sticking), 16:09.
2nd Period-3, Ontario, White 20 (Kitsyn), 8:20. Penalties-Renwick Ak (boarding - major, fighting - major, game misconduct - boarding), 0:31; Kitsyn Ont (fighting - major), 0:31; Doty Ak (helmet violation, fighting - major), 5:41; Bell Ont (helmet violation, fighting - major), 5:41; Brittain Ont (roughing), 8:20; May Ont (interference), 19:49.
3rd Period-4, Ontario, Kitsyn 19 (White, Julseth-White), 18:41 (EN). Penalties-Rutherford Ont (hooking), 11:08; Brittain Ont (delay of game), 15:24.
Shots on Goal-Alaska 5-7-7-19. Ontario 11-8-6-25.
Power Play Opportunities-Alaska 0 / 4; Ontario 0 / 2.
Goalies-Alaska, Lundstrom 15-14-1-1 (24 shots-22 saves). Ontario, Cannata 12-6-0-2 (19 shots-18 saves).
A-6,186
Referees-Tyler Puddifant (28).
Linesmen-Brett Martin (75), Brent Tubbs (42).