ALASKA'S NEWSPAPER

| Updated: 6:59 PM

Alaska Aces

DOYLE WOODY

Aces won't shrink from high expectations

The quality of the Alaska Aces' nearly decade-long portfolio can be quantified by this simple measurement: The club made it to the ECHL's conference finals, just one step removed from vying for the Kelly Cup it seized last season, and somehow that ranked as disappointment.

DOYLE WOODY

After 13 seasons in the pros, Aces captain Swanson retires

Brian Swanson controls the puck as Michael Gergen of the Bakersfield Condors tries to snag it in a November, 2011 game at the Sullivan Arena. Swanson, an Eagle River native, said he's retiring from professional hockey after 13 seasons.

Brian Swanson, dressed in street clothes late Wednesday night, stood in a hallway outside the Alaska Aces dressing room at Sullivan Arena, surrounded by his children. His eyes were moist, a little red, and that signaled something deeper than his hockey club's elimination from the ECHL playoffs.

Goldie says he's likely to retire

PRO HOCKEY

Goldie says he's likely to retire

Friday was a good day in the goaltenders' union -- Wes Goldie, who tortured its members for a dozen pro hockey seasons and became the most prolific sniper in ECHL history, said he is almost certainly retiring.

PRO HOCKEY

Las Vegas knocks Aces out of championship contention

Las Vegas' Robbie Smith is blocked by Aces goalie Gerald Coleman and Ryan Cruthers as he tries to wrap the puck around from behind the net in the ECHL Western Conference finals Wednesday at Sullivan Arena. Alaska's Chris Langkow trails behind Smith.

Las Vegas' 3-1 victory over the defending champion Aces on Wednesday -- their third straight win on Alaska's home ice at Sullivan Arena -- earned the Wranglers the Western Conference championship.

Alaska pays the price again for a slow start

For Alaska Aces fans, a disturbing trend has developed in the ECHL's Western Conference finals. In each of the Aces' three losses to Las Vegas, early goals from the Wranglers have put the Aces in a hole too tough to escape.

PRO HOCKEY

Wranglers push Aces to the brink in playoffs

The Las Vegas Wranglers celebrate an early goal as Alaska goaltender Gerald Coleman looks on during Game 4 at the Sullivan Arena on Tuesday, May 1, 2012.  The Wranglers won 3-2 and own a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 Western Conference finals.

Following Tuesday night's 3-2 loss to the Las Vegas Wranglers, the Alaska Aces find themselves teetering on the brink of the postseason abyss, just one stumble from ending their season. Only four ECHL teams have come back from a 3-1 series deficit.

Alaska pays the price again for a slow start

ECHL PLAYOFFS

Margin of error thin for Wranglers and Aces

Just three games into the Western Conference finals, the difference between the Wranglers, who lead 2-1 in the best-of-7 showdown entering Game 4 Tuesday night, and Aces has been as thin as a skate blade.

Aces fall in OT

Las Vegas sniper Eric Lampe scored 3 minutes, 11 seconds into overtime Sunday night to give the Wranglers a 3-2 victory that earned them a 2-1 edge over the Alaska Aces in the ECHL's best-of-7 Western Conference finals.

Aces series situation

If history is a decent guide -- if nothing else, it's a talking point -- the home-standing Alaska Aces are sitting in favorable position entering Sunday night's Game 3 against the Las Vegas Wranglers in the ECHL's Western Conference finals.

PRO HOCKEY

Aces fall to Vegas, return home with conference finals tied 1-1

The Las Vegas Wranglers unleashed a degree of urgency from the outset that the Aces failed to rival -- Las Vegas bagged two goals in the first four minutes and three in the first period -- and that made for a predictable result. Wranglers 3, Aces 0.

PRO HOCKEY

Cruthers leads Aces to Game 1 ECHL playoff win in Las Vegas

With the ECHL trade deadline looming last month, Alaska Aces coach Rob Murray acquired center Ryan Cruthers for his scoring in general and his playoff pedigree in particular. That move paid off Thursday in Las Vegas.

ECHL HOCKEY PLAYOFFS

Western Conference finals smells like it could go seven

As the Western Conference finals open tonight at Orleans Arena in Sin City, it's easy to peg the Aces as the favorites. They're the defending champs. Yet that does not even remotely mean the Wranglers are Team Underdog.

ECHL PLAYOFFS

Rookie blueliner Shields hitting his stride

David Shields stepped into the lineup and delivered two assists and a plus-2 rating in Alaska's Game 5 elimination of the Stockton Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals. "Short snapshot: He looked a lot more confident in himself,'' coach Rob Murray said. "He was excellent.''

Howes returns to Aces, will play in Vegas

Scott Howes led the Aces in points during the playoffs last season with seven goals and 12 assists.

The end of one hockey season has bridged into the start of another for Scott Howes. The ECHL's reigning Kelly Cup Most Valuable Player is headed back to the Alaska Aces.

ECHL PLAYOFFS

Aces lose some advantage in semis against Las Vegas

The schedule for the Alaska Aces' ECHL conference finals against the Las Vegas Wranglers is not good. Because of rink availability issues, the series starts with two games in Vegas even though the Aces own home-ice advantage.

ECHL HOCKEY PLAYOFFS

Alaska-Vegas series schedule holds bad news for Aces fans

The schedule for the Alaska Aces' ECHL conference finals against the Las Vegas Wranglers is not good. Because of rink availability issues, the series starts with two games in Vegas even though the Aces own home-ice advantage.

Alaska Aces: Conference finals constant

The Alaska Aces' series-clinching 4-1 victory in Stockton on Saturday night pushed the defending Kelly Cup champions into the conference finals for the third time in the last four seasons and the sixth time in their nine ECHL seasons.

PRO HOCKEY

Aces finals bound

Stockton's Jordan Fulton has his shot blocked by Alaska's Tyson Marsh on Saturday, April 21, 2012, at Stockton Arena.

Their tenure in the ECHL covers just nine hockey seasons, yet the Alaska Aces treat advancing to the conference finals -- just one precious step removed from the championship round -- as if it were a franchise birthright.

PRO HOCKEY

Aces claim Game 4 win

Aces goaltender Gerald Coleman blocks a shot by the Thunder's Matt Foy in first-period action in Stockton Arena on Friday, April 20, 2012. Alaska won 4-2.

In pushing the Stockton Thunder to the cliff's edge of elimination with two straight road wins -- the second one a come-from-behind, 4-2 shove to the precipice Friday night -- the Alaska Aces have proved particularly dominating and lethal in the last two periods.

PRO HOCKEY

Aces expect Thunder to come out physical

Thursday was a day off in California for the Alaska Aces -- no practice -- but they don't expect much leisure time Friday night in Game 4 of their ECHL Western Conference semifinal series with the Stockton Thunder.

PRO HOCKEY

Aces blank Thunder in Game 3

Stockton's Ryan Lowery, right, goes for the puck against Alaska's Wes Goldie on Wednesday at Stockton Arena. The Aces won 4-0.

The What's-Not-To-Like file was startlingly thin for the Alaska Aces by game's end Wednesday night.

Aces missing trademark 'D'

Alaska's Brandon Gentile dives out to push the puck away from the goal guarded by Gerald Coleman as Stockton's Gabriel Levesque reaches for the puck during Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals Friday at Sullivan Arena.

For two hockey seasons now, the Alaska Aces' identity has been forged in the defensive zone -- they yield minimal scoring chances, and what few they do are usually snuffed by goaltender Gerald Coleman.

ECHL PLAYOFFS

Aces bolster roster with a pair of Rivermen

With the Peoria Rivermen failing to qualify for the American Hockey League's playoffs, rookie winger Chris Bruton and rookie defenseman David Shields are rejoining ECHL Alaska in time for Wednesday night's Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Stockton Thunder.

PRO HOCKEY

Alaska's Coleman displays flying-kick save

Gerald Coleman made numerous nice saves for the Alaska Aces on Saturday at Sullivan Arena, but one of his 26 provided an acrobatic highlight that few onlookers will forget.

PRO HOCKEY

Thunder strike back

Alaska’s Steve Ward defends as Stockton’s Jordan Fulton takes the shot on goal in midair Saturday at Sullivan Arena.

Eyebrow-raising moments abounded -- from a ninja kick save for the ages to an improbable breakaway and even a long-range crossbar kisser at the buzzer ending regulation -- but Saturday night's delicious ECHL playoff hockey game at Sullivan Arena ended on a note of normalcy.

PRO HOCKEY

Ward and Langkow knocking off rink rust

Getting into playoff form after 13 days without a hockey game was no doubt tough for all the Alaska Aces, but for defenseman Steve Ward and forward Chris Langkow, there was an added challenge.

PRO HOCKEY

Aces rally to win Game 1

Aces Goalie Gerald Coleman smothers the puck as fellow Ace Chad Anderson keeps Chris D'Alvise of the Stockton Thunder out of the play in Game 1 of the the ECHL Western Conference semifinals Friday, April 13, 2012, at Sullivan Arena.

On their march to the Kelly Cup last season, the Alaska Aces won all six of their playoff games at Sullivan Arena. This regular season, they fashioned the ECHL's best home-ice record. And, historically, they are always a difficult bunch to beat on the Olympic-sized rink they call home, where they seem to get a lift from their raucous, cowbell-ringing supporters.

WOODY ON HOCKEY

Stockton is worthy foe for Aces in ECHL semifinals

Evidently, two professional hockey teams will meet in a playoff game Friday night at Sullivan Arena, which no doubt comes as blessed relief for puckheads who have been jonesing for their next fix.

PRO HOCKEY

Aces look to recharge power play

The Alaska Aces' march to the ECHL's Kelly Cup last season hinged significantly on special-teams superiority -- their power play prospered and their penalty killers, well, killed it.

PRO HOCKEY

Mazzolini aims to be part of long playoff run

ERIK HILL / Daily News archives 2012Nick Mazzolini was knocked out of the 2010 playoffs when he had his arms grabbed by an official just as an opponent was taking a swing at him. The Aces open defense of their title against Stockton on Friday at Sullivan Arena.

For third-year pro Nick Mazzolini, these playoffs represent a do-over of sorts, because his first go-round for the Aces in the ECHL postseason was short and painful.

PRO HOCKEY

New Ace finding his place on the team

Alaska'a Ryan Cruthers puts Colorado's Chad Costello on his backside during a game last month.

Ryan Cruthers' first two hockey games with the Alaska Aces -- the only two home matches he has played since being acquired in a trade-deadline deal -- did not come in circumstances favorable for a first impression.

PRO HOCKEY

From college to the ECHL playoffs

Just past noon last Thursday, shortly after he got out of a class at Michigan State in East Lansing, defenseman Brock Shelgren talked by telephone to his agent and then to Alaska Aces coach Rob Murray.

WOODY ON HOCKEY

Aces coach shares honor for best in the ECHL

Rob Murray stands behind the players on the Aces bench during a November win over Ontario.

Not long after Rob Murray arrived in Anchorage in August as the new head coach of the Alaska Aces, he quickly discovered his gig came with expectations that were about as subtle as a two-hander to the teeth.

WOODY ON HOCKEY

Murray named co-Coach of the Year in first year with Aces

First-year Alaska Aces coach Rob Murray was named co-ECHL Coach of the Year on Tuesday, the second-straight year and third overall an Alaska bench boss has received the honor.

PRO HOCKEY

ECHL gives Aces fans a moment of concern

Hardcore Alaska Aces fans may have noticed that the club's Kelly Cup playoff roster, which the ECHL released Monday afternoon, featured a glaring omission -- namely, captain Brian Swanson. Thankfully, it was a mistake.

PRO HOCKEY

Aces finish regular season

Saturday night's regular-season finale held virtually no significance for the Alaska Aces, who had already seized all three of the ECHL's available titles and merely hoped to keep their injury list status quo.

PRO HOCKEY

Aces win Brabham Cup

The Alaska Aces short-circuited on the power play, failing on all nine opportunities Friday night, including an extended two-man advantage. They blew a one-goal lead they carried into the third period.

PRO HOCKEY

Pair of Aces named to all-league team, along with coach

Alaska Aces second-year winger Dan Kissel, who in 68 games leads the team in goals (35) and points (67), and ranks second in the league in goals, on Thursday was named second-team All-ECHL.

When the spotlight found Bryan Miller and Dan Kissel on Thursday, the Alaska Aces skaters cranked up the hockey humility and shined it back on their teammates.

PRO HOCKEY

Aces claim conference title, first-round bye

Alaska Aces second-year winger Dan Kissel, who in 68 games leads the team in goals (35) and points (67), and ranks second in the league in goals, on Thursday was named second-team All-ECHL.

Thirty-eight minutes before the horn blared on their 3-2 win over the Bakersfield Condors in California on Wednesday night, the league-leading Alaska Aces technically were crowned the ECHL's Western Conference champions.

PRO HOCKEY

Good news for Aces despite loss

ECHL-leading Alaska lost 4-2 at Las Vegas, but its path to the Brabham Cup as regular-season champion of the minor-league hockey circuit was eased by Colorado.

PRO HOCKEY

Aces have rivals right where they want them

Alaska, the defending Kelly Cup champion, tonight plays at Las Vegas. Best-case scenario for the ECHL-leading Alaska Aces on Tuesday night: They could see two of their three pursuers for the Brabham Cup dismissed from that race and the other pushed to the brink of elimination.

Aces Vs. Wranglers Hockey

Ryan Cruthers of the Alaska Aces holds Judd Blackwater of the Las Vegas Wrangler in the ECHL Western Division hockey finals at the Sullivan Arena on Wednesday, May 2, 2012.

Aces Vs. Wranglers in game 5 of the ECHL Western Division hockey.

Aces vs. Wranglers: Game 4

The Alaska Aces battled to a 3-2 loss against the Las Vegas Wranglers in Game 4 of the ECHL Western Conference Finals at the Sullivan Arena on Tuesday, May 1, 2012. The Wranglers own a 3-1 lead the best-of-7 series.

The Alaska Aces battled to a 3-2 loss against the Las Vegas Wranglers in Game 4 of the ECHL Western Conference Finals at the Sullivan Arena on Tuesday, May 1, 2012. The Wranglers own a 3-1 lead the best-of-7 series.

Aces Vs. Stockton Game 2

Alaska Aces Vs. the Stockton Thunder in the 2nd game of the Western Conference semifinals hockey series.

PHOTO GALLERY

Aces playoff game 1

Evie Rhodes and Christine Miller enjoy the Alaska Aces hockey team tailgate party at the Sullivan Arena before the Aces first game of the ECHL semi-finals on Friday, April 13, 2012.

Many fans came out for the Alaska Aces hockey team tailgate party at the Sullivan Arena before the Aces first game of the ECHL semi-finals on Friday, April 13, 2012.

READER PICS

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Calling all Cowbell Crew. Post photos from your Aces games and player encounters and check out how others show off their love of Alaska's most popular professional team.

BLOG

Woody on Hockey

Join the conversation about the Aces and Alaska hockey with Doyle Woody, who has covered the game for 28 years.

WEB SITE

Alaska Aces

Get information, visit the team store and surf through the rest of the Alaska Aces' official web site.



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