Anchorage Daily News

If Friday night was any indication, the Alaska Aces are remarkably strong in goal.

Elsewhere, they're a little thin at the moment to furnish much flexing.

And thus their nine-game ECHL unbeaten streak came to an end Friday night, even as goaltender Chris Holt shined in his Aces debut, which came after not playing for nearly a month.

Holt made 36 saves, but the Aces fell 3-1 to the Victoria Salmon Kings at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in British Columbia.

Holt, who was in training camp with the Aces but since has been with the Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League and St. Louis Blues of the NHL, gave rookie Jean-Philippe Lamoureux the night off. Lamoureux had played every second of the Aces' first 14 games and backstopped the club's 8-0-1 streak.

The Aces (11-3-1) had not lost in regulation since a 5-1 home-ice loss to Fresno on Oct. 31. Alaska and Victoria close their three-game series tonight -- the Aces won Wednesday's opener 6-3.

Holt, who had not played since a victory for Peoria on Oct. 26, made an early gaffe to help the Salmon Kings forge a 1-0 lead. He mishandled the puck, which allowed Jacob Dietrich an open net in the first period. Darryl Lloyd gave the Salmon Kings (8-7-1) a 2-0 lead in the second period.

The Aces played with 14 skaters, two below the ECHL maximum, because of massive call-ups to Peoria. Peoria needed the bodies because it shipped players up to St. Louis, which likewise is suffering a slew of injuries. In the last week, Aces players Josh Soares, T.J. Fast, Alexandre Imbeault and Tomas Kana have made the shuttle to the Midwest.

The Aces haven't escaped injuries, either. Scoring winger Brett Hemingway is out following ankle surgery and 30-goal scorer Bo Cheesman has yet to play this season after undergoing back surgery in the preseason. Defenseman Ed Hill is also out with a knee injury. Additionally, enforcer Robin Richards did not make the trip -- his six-game, league-imposed suspension was finally fulfilled Friday.

The Aces' lineup Friday included defenseman Bryan Miller playing wing to give Alaska nine forwards, one short of the usual complement. The Aces dressed five defensemen instead of the customary six.

In any event, the Aces pulled within 2-1 midway through the third period Friday when veteran winger Cam Keith scored to extend his points streak to 10 games.

Victoria sniper Wes Goldie added an empty-net goal with less than two minutes left to give the Salmon Kings enough cushion to even the series.

Shuffling the deck

Keith has earned 3-2--15 totals in his 10-game points streak, though his stretch of five straight two-point games was stopped.

Keith earned an even rating. He has earned an even or plus rating in all 15 Aces games this season.

Find Doyle Woody's blog online at adn.com/contact/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.

Aces 0 0 1-- 1

Victoria 1 1 1-- 3

First Period -- 1, Victoria, Dietrich 1 (Billsten), 17:38. Penalties -- Tuzzolino, Aces (hooking), :35; Wedderburn, Victoria (hooking), 6:19; Shasby, Aces (tripping), 13:02; Gendur, Victoria (tripping), 17:59.

Second Period -- 2, Victoria, Lloyd 2 (Dietrich. Landolt), 19:36. Penalties -- Coulombe, Victoria (slashing), 15:59; Keith, Aces (roughing), 15:59; Felde, Aces (tripping), 16:29.

Third Period -- 3, Aces, Keith 4 (Erickson, C. Hemingway), 8:58; 4, Victoria, Goldie 11 (Gendur, Filion), 18:44 (en). Penalties -- C. Hemingway, Aces (roughing), 15:19; Coulombe, Victoria (tripping), 16:14; Foreman, Aces, double minor (slashing), 18:46.

Shots on goal -- Aces 8-7-11--26. Victoria 12-17-10--39.

Power-play Opportunities -- Aces 0 of 3; Victoria 0 of 5.

Goalies -- Aces, Holt 0-1-0 (38 shots-36 saves). Victoria, Boutin 6-2-1 (26-25).

A -- 4,429 (7,000). T -- 2:13.

Referee -- Shane Warschaw. Linesmen -- Tim Bilyk, Byron Ellingson.

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