The Alaska Aces still control their ECHL playoff fate.
If they keep playing like they have lately, that won't be the case for long.
Rapid City's 2-1 win over the Aces at Sullivan Arena on Friday night pushed Alaska's winless streak to five games (0-3-2) and also extended its franchise-worst winless streak on home ice to nine games (0-7-2).
Friday's result, coupled with wins by the Missouri Mavericks and Utah Grizzlies, cut into the Aces' lead for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Mountain Division. The Aces lead the Mavericks by two points and the Grizzlies by three. The Aces and Mavericks have eight games left — Alaska entertains Rapid City on Saturday and Sunday — and the Grizzlies have seven games remaining.
Rapid City goaltender Adam Morrison delivered 49 saves, his career high in the ECHL, to backstop the Rush victory, and rookie Sam Rothstein, fresh out of Colorado College, bagged the first two goals of his pro career.
Alaska's only goal came from defenseman Mackenze Stewart, with helpers from Tim Coffman and Charlie Sampair.
Despite outshooting the Rush 50-22, the Aces (30-24-10) didn't get many second- or third-chance opportunities against Morrison, who swallowed ample shots and didn't leave many juicy rebounds. While the Aces also failed on all three of their power plays and gave up Rothstein's two goals on odd-man rushes — a 2-on-1 and a breakaway — coach Rob Murray was more concerned with the bottom line.
"We just have to win,'' he said.
Rapid City (24-33-8) avoided elimination from the race for the final playoff spot in the division. The next point the Rush surrenders will eliminate them.
"We don't have anything to lose,'' said Rush rookie winger Hunter Fejes of Anchorage, who assisted on Rothstein's first goal. "We want to win, and they need to win.''
Aces goalie Kevin Carr (20 saves), who with Michael Garteig still up in the American Hockey League made his 12th straight start, said he has "to find a way to make more saves.''
Carr said the Aces are frustrated, particularly by their slump on home ice.
"That's terrible for our fans,'' he said. "And, selfishly, we want to make the playoffs. (Recent performances) aren't good enough right now.''
Fejes, who grew up watching the Anchorage Aces of the West Coast Hockey League and then the Alaska Aces, said he's bummed financial losses have prompted the Aces to fold at season's end after 14 seasons in the ECHL.
"You just try to take it all in,'' he said. "You look in the rafters and see the championship banners and all the first-place banners. You remember it growing up.
"I had season tickets. Players like Dean Larson, Steve MacSwain, Keith Street — they made me have a passion for hockey. This was the NHL when I was growing up. This was the real deal.''
Shuffling the deck
The Aces have signed forward Jory Mullin, who with 26-18—44 totals in 25 games for Neumann College, led Division III goal scorers this season. Murray indicated Mullin is likely to make his pro debut Saturday.
With Stephen Perfetto (27 goals) and Tim Wallace (18 goals) up in the American Hockey League, the Aces' lineup was missing 22 percent of its goals this season.
In the combined nine weeks Garteig has been with the AHL's Utica Comets, he has made a mere four starts and had five appearances.
Alaska is 4-4-0 against Rapid City this season.
Rapid City 1 1 0 — 2
Aces 1 0 0 — 1
First Period — 1, Rapid City, Rothstein 1 (Cooper, Fejes), 11:45; 2, Aces, Stewart 5 (Coffman, Sampair), 14:59. Penalties — Monfredo, Rapid City (interference), 7:23; Fejes, Rapid City (slashing), 18:57.
Second Period — 3, Rapid City, Rothstein 2 (Cooper, Fortman), 16:37. Penalties — Lake, Aces (slashing), 7:26; Monfredo, Rapid City (interference), 12:35; Tarasuk, Aces (diving), 12:35.
Third Period — None. Penalties — Fortman, Rapid City (tripping), 7:43.
Shots on goal — Rapid City 7-11-4—22. Aces 23-9-18—50.
Power-play Opportunities — Rapid City 0 of 1. Aces 0 of 3.
Goalies — Rapid City, Morrison, 15-15-4 (50 shots-49 saves). Aces, Carr, 16-18-5 (22-20).
A — 4,097 (6,399). T — 2:29.
Referee — Chris Pontes. Linesmen — Scott Sivulich, Josh Ellis.