Anchorage Daily News

Apart from skating at different colleges and a brief separation in junior hockey, the two newest members of the Alaska Aces have spent much of their lives together.

Forwards Erik Fabian and Luke Erickson, who grew up as literally next-door neighbors and played together on Roseau High’s Minnesota state championship team in 1999, also played their first year of pro hockey with the now-defunct Pensacola Ice Pilots of the ECHL.

Wednesday, the Aces announced the signings of Fabian and Erickson, which raises to nine the number of players they have officially signed for the upcoming ECHL season. Fabian and Erickson also played one of their seasons together in junior hockey for Topeka of the U.S. Hockey League.

Fabian, 25, who played college hockey at North Dakota, last season earned 10-13—23 totals in 47 games for Pensacola, which was the worst team in the league – the Ice Pilots won just 19 of 72 games. Erickson, 25, played his college hockey at Bemidji State. Last season, he produced 15-16—31 totals in 70 games for Pensacola.

That ranked him fourth among goal scorers for a team that scored by far the fewest goals in the league (157). Aces coach Keith McCambridge said both players were highly recommended by former Pensacola coach John Marks.

Marks, the former NHLer who is now coach of the ECHL’s Augusta Lynx, has won two ECHL titles and a Southern Professional Hockey League title, and has coached teams to 757 wins in 21 seasons. For more on Fabian and Erickson, see Thursday’s edition of the Daily News.

ADVERTISEMENT