Given the Alaska Aces' sudden dearth of defensemen, the joke making the rounds at practice the other day involved coach Keith McCambridge and assistant Louis Mass, retired blueliners both, returning to active duty.
"Two veteran 'D,' " mused center Kimbi Daniels, who may log some time on defense this week. "I don't think that would hurt us too much. Probably help us. And they haven't had the traditional 40-pound blowup after you retire.''
Even so, McCambridge and Mass, who both retired after the Aces won the Kelly Cup in 2006, said comebacks are not on their calendars.
"I don't want my last (playing) memory to be a 21-year-old taking me wide,'' McCambridge said with a laugh. "I want my last memory to be a championship.''
"Yeah, not some kid putting (the puck) through my legs,'' Mass cracked. "I'm done.''
"Before practice, I said to Louis, 'You ready?' " McCambridge recounted.
"No, thanks,'' Mass responded. "I'll pass.''
And so it is that winger Tim Spencer and Daniels may find themselves skating backward more than usual tonight, when the Aces (9-3-1) play a road game against the Stockton Thunder (6-7-1) to open a two-week, six-game trip.
Less than two weeks ago, the Aces featured eight healthy defensemen.
At practice Monday, they were down to three -- Bryan Miller, Corbin Schmidt and Lee Green.
That's because second-team All-ECHL defenseman Matt Shasby suffered a broken leg blocking a shot in a game last Friday. The day before, Felipe Larranaga suffered a broken foot when he was struck by a shot in practice. First-team All-ECHL defenseman Peter Metcalf has missed three straight games, and four of the last five, because of a sprained knee ligament. He made the road trip, but it is uncertain when he'll be ready to go.
Also, defenseman Joey Hope missed practice Monday because of illness. And defenseman Ryan Glenn on Saturday was recalled to Peoria of the American Hockey League.
That's why Daniels and Spencer wore black sweaters, the color that designates a defenseman, in Monday's practice.
McCambridge said Spencer will almost certainly be on the blue line tonight. Spencer skated primarily at defense this fall in training camps with both the St. Louis Blues and Peoria Rivermen. He possesses size (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) and a long reach, both of which should come in handy.
"He'll go into the back end. Then whether Kimbi does depends on Joey,'' McCambridge said. "I'd like to leave Kimbi up front and go with five defensemen.''
ECHL teams can dress 16 skaters, and customarily break that down to 10 forwards and six defensemen.
Spencer said his training camp experience on defense left him comfortable with changing positions.
"I think I've got a pretty good idea what I'm doing, having watched our D,'' Spencer said. "The coaches in St. Louis and Peoria helped me out a lot. And Mac, being a defenseman, I'll take any words of wisdom he can give me.
"As long as there's lots of communication, I think I'll be fine.''
"We'll help you,'' Miller said as he walked past.
Two seasons ago, Daniels played defense when the Aces were short on bodies. And he said he played some defense for the team in a similar crunch during the 2003-04 season.
"Playing (defense) down low (in the defensive zone) is the same as playing center,'' Daniels said. "That won't change much. But otherwise, it's try not to do too much and keep it simple.
"Hopefully, I can skate my way out of trouble a few times.''
But even with Daniels up front and Hope healthy enough to play, the Aces would be short. With center Oliver Filion (groin) out and winger Tomas Kana gone (back to the Czech Republic), the Aces are thin up front, too.
With center Gino Guyer back from injured reserve and Daniels at center, the Aces tonight likely would dress nine forwards and five defensemen, two short of the league maximum 16 skaters.
"You always hear, 'It's a chance for other guys to play,' " McCambridge said. "We'll see how deep we are.''
Shuffling the deck
Filion, who suffered a groin injury Friday, will remain here for the first week of the Aces' road trip and receive treatment. Then he will be re-evaluated and the club will decide whether to have him catch up with the team for three games in Florida.
Aces rookie winger Josh Soares owns a seven-game points streak. He has produced 6-5--11 totals in that span.
When the Aces finish this road trip, they will have played 13 of their first 19 games on the road.
Beginning with a Dec. 5 home game against Bakersfield, the Aces play 13 of 16 games at Sullivan Arena.
Stockton has played just four homes games in its first 14. The Thunder, who led the league in attendance last season, are doing so again, with an average of 7,708 per game. Former Aces winger Ryan MacMurchy is off to a strong start for Stockton, earning 3-5--8 totals in 10 games.
The league's leading goal scorer, Dayton's Chanse Fitzpatrick, on Tuesday became the league leader for longest suspension this season -- the ECHL docked him 10 games for a high-sticking incident in Sunday's 5-4 loss to Cincinnati. Fitzpatrick, who owns 12-3--15 totals in 13 games and earlier this season scored five goals in a period, will not be eligible to play again until the Bombers' game against Johnstown on Dec. 15.
"Mr. Fitzpatrick used his stick in an unacceptable manner," ECHL Vice President of Hockey Operations Rod Pasma said in a press release. "All ECHL players were warned prior to the start of the season that increased sanctions will be handed down on players that deliberately target the head of an opponent."
Find Doyle Woody's blog online at adn.com/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.
ALASKA ACES (9-3-1)
at
STOCKTON THUNDER (6-7-1)
WHEN: Tonight, 6 AST.
WHERE: Stockton Arena (cap. 10,000), Stockton, Calif.
RADIO: AM-750 KFQD.
TRENDS: The Aces have won three straight games, and the Thunder are on an 0-3-1 skid. Stockton is streaky -- the Thunder opened the season with three straight losses, then won six of seven, then hit their current 0-3-1 patch.
