Penalty magnets that the rough-and-tumble Alaska Aces continue to be -- "As shocking as that is,'' captain Mike Scott noted with irony -- they have faced more penalty-killing situations than any team in the ECHL playoffs.
Still, they aren't sweating it.
And they certainly aren't apologizing for it.
They're simply dealing with it -- and very effectively.
The Aces have killed 89.5 percent of opposing power plays in the postseason, an improvement from their regular-season mark of 86.8 percent, which ranked second in the league.
"We've always had a group that borders on playing with an edge and playing under complete control,'' said Aces coach Davis Payne. "We certainly play better with an edge, and there's times we have to deal with that.
"We've got some passionate players who play with energy and aggressiveness. I'd much rather have to try to temper that as opposed to having to fire somebody up.''
Entering the National Conference Finals that open against the Idaho Steelheads on Monday, Alaska's penalty killers have faced an average of 7.6 power plays per playoff game, most in the league during the Kelly Cup campaign. That's up from the 6.85 power plays per game they faced in the regular season, when they led the league in penalty minutes. Four other teams did, however, face more power plays per game.
Even though playoff opponents have averaged nearly three more power plays per game than the Aces -- Alaska has averaged 4.9 power plays per game -- veteran center Kimbi Daniels thinks the Aces have toned down their act in the postseason.
The Aces averaged 27.53 penalty minutes per game during the regular season. That number has dropped to 24.70 penalty minutes per game in the playoffs.
Daniels has averaged 1.00 penalty minutes per game in the playoffs after averaging 1.83 penalty minutes per game in the regular season. And Scott, who clocked in with an average of 2.49 penalty minutes per game in the regular season, has only been tagged with .80 penalty minutes per game in the postseason.
"I think most guys have been a lot more disciplined in the playoffs,'' Daniels said. "Our reputation probably precedes us, but pretty much every guy has taken it down a notch in the playoffs. Yet we're still getting penalized.
"It's kind of become the norm.''
In the Aces' most recent playoff series, they fitted Bakersfield's power play with an 0 for 32 collar and swept the best-of-7 series. The Aces have killed 35 consecutive opposing power plays dating back to their series-clinching win in Game 6 against Victoria in the first round.
Through 10 playoff games, the Aces have not enjoyed more power plays than their opponent in a single game. Eight times their opponent had the advantage and twice the teams were even.
So, the Aces simply go out, kill the penalties and move on.
"If you get overwhelmed by it, or bothered by it, you're not going to be as effective killing penalties,'' Payne said.
Of course, the Aces have the luxury of penalty-killing depth, even without penalty-killing wizard Vladimir Novak, the center who suffered a season-ending knee injury late in the regular season.
Payne usually runs out as many as three different pairs of forwards, and can go as deep as four pairs. All six Aces defensemen have killed penalties in the postseason. That depth keeps Payne with relatively fresh legs at his disposal.
That depth also allows the skilled Aces to bolster their game with the rugged style they prefer, even in the postseason, when every game is pivotal.
"We still play with an edge,'' Scott said. "Some skill teams, this time of year, they can't do the hard things. But our skill players, they don't wither and wilt and disappear.''
Besides, Scott said, he doesn't mind killing penalties taken by physical defensemen like Zack FitzGerald and Patrick Wellar, or a penalty by a body banger like winger Hans Benson.
"Anybody on this team will kill penalties for those guys to be able to play their game and get in people's heads,'' Scott said.
Shuffling the deck
PLAYOFF TICKETS: Tickets for Monday's Game 1 and Tuesday's Game 2 of the National Conference Finals are on sale weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Aces' offices (724 E. 15th Ave. -- 258-2237). Tickets also are available at www.alaskaaces.com, through Ticketmaster, or at participating Fred Meyer locations.
PRACTICING AGAIN: After a travel day returning from Bakersfield, Calif., on Sunday, and taking Monday and Tuesday off, the Aces returned to practice Wednesday morning with a light game of shinny.
They'll practice again this morning, take Friday off and practice Saturday and Sunday in preparation for Games 1 and 2.
AMERICAN CONFERENCE: In the ECHL's American Conference, the finalists are still to be determined.
The Dayton Bombers defeated the Cincinnati Cyclones 3-0 Wednesday in the North Division Finals to force tonight's decisive Game 7 in Dayton.
In the South Division, the Florida Everblades lead the Texas Wildcatters 3-2 with Game 6 set for Friday in Florida. Game 7, if necessary, would be Saturday in Florida.
Daily News reporter Doyle Woody can be reached at dwoody@adn.com. For more on Alaska hockey, check out Woody on Hockey at www.adn.com/hockeyblog
