There are often obvious signs a struggling hockey team has checked out for the season: The forward who eschews finishing his check in favor of a fly-by; the defenseman who avoids blocking a laser from the point; the goaltender whose second-effort appears third-rate.
Yet the Alaska Aces, for whom the ECHL's Kelly Cup playoffs are but a pipe dream — they're 14 points out of playoff position with 14 games to go — haven't given up the hard labor the sport's culture demands.
'It feels like we're doing everything in our power to win, and we've come up short one goal,'' said Aces rookie center Stephen Perfetto.
It's literally so. While the Aces are mired in a seven-game winless streak (0-5-2) one game shy of tying the franchise record, all seven of those games, when factoring in opponents' empty-net goals, have been decided by one goal. Ditto for nine of the club's last 10 games, a stretch in which it went 2-6-2 and fell out of the playoff picture.
"If you're looking for a team that's not going to make the playoffs, or is on the outside looking in, but is competing hard and not getting the results, this is that team,'' said Aces coach Rob Murray. "We don't score the timely goal and we get the timely goal scored on us, but it isn't for lack of trying.''
The Aces, back from a season-long, nine-game road trip, entertain the Fort Wayne Komets in a three-game series that opens Wednesday night at Sullivan Arena.
Murray has no complaints about his team's level of effort, and said his charges have played earnest hockey and conducted themselves like professionals.
"We're all here to do a job, regardless of the situation,'' he said. "Regardless of the situation, or where you are in life, why wouldn't you want to win the game?''
Perfetto credits the team's leadership group — captain William Wrenn and veterans like Patrick Wellar, Garet Hunt and Peter Sivak — for aiding younger players like himself and keeping them ambitious.
"They're teaching me, and giving me confidence,'' Perfetto said. "Everyone's upbeat, everyone's good. That's because of our leadership group.''
Everyone, from veterans to the Aces' numerous rookies — nearly half the team is made up of first-year players — has something for which to play. It might be to secure a spot on next season's club, or impress another coach, or to forge a reputation as a guy who conducts himself like a pro.
Wrenn, the first-year captain, said he's proud of the way his teammates have competed.
"The one thing throughout the year that's been consistent is our work ethic,'' he said. "We can't fault a single guy.
"We've been playing well. It's not like we've been outmatched or run out of a building.''
Shuffling the deck
The Aces on Tuesday signed rookie forward Christian Finch, who recently finished his career at the University of Toronto.
Finch, 24, put up 8-23—31 totals in 28 games at Toronto, where Murray said he primarily played defense this season. Finch skated at forward in Alaska's practice Tuesday morning.
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockeyblog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr
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