An early advantage crumbled and a close game was swept away by two late Idaho empty-net goals in the Alaska Aces' 5-2 ECHL loss Saturday to the Steelheads in Boise.
The loss brought the Aces' (17-24-5) recent road stint to 1-4-0. Alaska went 1-2 in three games at Idaho (25-19-5) after falling twice last weekend against the Colorado Eagles in Loveland, Colorado.
Saturday, the Aces started well at CenturyLink Arena, taking the lead three minutes into the game on defenseman Davis Vandane's backhand shot for his first professional goal.
But the Steelheads had a new man of their own, and he shined. Radoslav Illo scored his first goal as a Steelhead, and first of two goals in the game, to even the score at 1-1 later in the period.
In the second period, the Aces retook the lead on another backhander, this time by defenseman Daniel Johnson from Mitch Jones. Johnson snuck the shot by Idaho goaltender Jack Campbell (39 saves) in a four-on-four situation a minute into the period.
It was Alaska's last goal of the game.
The Steelheads tied the game later in the period on a wrister in traffic by Jake Rutt and they took the lead on Illo's second goal of the game six minutes later.
Aces goaltender Troy Redmann (30 saves) appeared to misjudge Illo's shot and the puck deflected off the tip of his glove and into the net.
Idaho's final two goals came against the Aces' empty net late in the third period.
Both the Aces' goals Saturday came from defensemen as the team played with several key forwards missing.
Garet Hunt served the third game of his three-game suspension for joining an altercation in a Jan. 30 loss at Colorado. Collin Valcourt missed his second game for a major elbowing penalty in the Aces' Wednesday win at Idaho.
Alaska also played without top-line center Tim Coffman, who was out with a lower body injury he suffered Friday.
The Aces return to the ice Wednesday at Sullivan Arena for start if a three-game series against the defending ECHL champion Allen Americans.
Aces 1 1 0 — 2
Idaho 1 2 2 — 5
First Period — 1, Aces, Vandane 1 (Deluca, Poulin), 3:24; 2, Idaho, Illo 4 (Boutin, Baldwin), 7:18. Penalties — Wellar, Aces (tripping), 15:23; Breton, Aces (delay of game), 19:38; Linsmayer, Idaho (tripping), 19:45.
Second Period — 3, Aces, Johnston 3 (Jones, Deluca), 1:06; 4, Idaho, Rutt (Yuen, Bouvet-Morrissette), 11:51; 5, Idaho, Illo 5 (Rutt, Snydeman), 18:16. Penalties — Traversa, Aces (tripping), 5:11; Linsmayer, Idaho (hooking), 5:21.
Third Period — 6, Idaho, Snydeman 3 (Rutt, Illo), 19:00 (en); 7, Idaho Bouvet-Morrissette 8, 19:43 (en). Penalties — Eddy, Aces double-minor (roughing), 6:06; Illo, Idaho double-minor (roughing), 6:06.
Shots on goal — Aces 14-17-10—41. Idaho 14-9-12—35.
Power-play Opportunities — Aces 0 of 0. Idaho 0 of 3.
Goalies — Aces, Redmann, 13-17-4 (33 shots-30 saves). Idaho, Campell, 11-4-0 (41 shots-39 saves).
A — 5,074. T — 2:22.
Referee — Jeremy Tufts. Linesmen — Andrew Wetzel, Scott DeBaugh.