Alaska Aces rookie goalie Michael Garteig may be in store for some frequent-flyer rewards.
Two days after being called up to the Vancouver Canucks, the rookie was back in Aces' gear Saturday, delivering a 36-save shutout in Alaska's 5-0 ECHL hockey victory over the Wichita Thunder.
But before the game was over, Aces coach Rob Murray received a text that Garteig was being called up to the Aces' AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets.
"I got (the) text between the second and third period," Murray said after the game on KFQD radio. "You can't be upset about it … I guess (Utica goalie Richard) Bachman got hurt tonight and they need Garteig to go up, but we're going to be good with Kevin Carr for sure."
The Aces are 6-1-0 with Garteig and 1-3-1 with Carr this season.
Aces broadcaster Kurt Haider said Garteig will stay with the Aces through Sunday's series finale in Wichita, Kansas. Garteig served as the Canucks' backup goalie on Thursday night, rejoined the Aces in Wichita in time to record his first professional shutout on Saturday and is expected to head to Utica on Monday.
Saturday's win halted a three-game winless streak for the Aces and was a complete flip from Friday's 5-1 loss to the Thunder (7-4-0). The Aces (7-4-1) outshot the Thunder 47-25 on Friday, but couldn't find the net.
Center Stephen Perfetto got the Aces back on track Saturday with a second-chance goal in the first period.
"Tonight, the first goal got us going," Murray said. "It was a horrible angle shot by Peter Sivak, and Stephen Perfetto put it in on the rebound."
In the second period, Alaska reeled off four more goals on 12 shots.
Center Daniel Moynihan scored his second and third goals of the season, left winger Tim Wallace and center Tommy Olczyk each scored once and center Tim Coffman assisted on three of the four goals.
Olczyk's goal was his first as a pro.
"What I liked about Tommy … was his patience with the puck," Murray said. "He took that extra step, went to his backhand and (found) an open net when he had the chance."
The Aces and Thunder conclude the series with their third game in three days at 1:05 p.m. AST on Sunday in Wichita.
Aces 1 4 0 — 5
Wichita 0 0 0 — 0
First Period — 1, Aces, Perfetto 7 (Sivak, Wallace), 6:31. Penalties — None.
Second Period — 2, Aces, Moynihan 2 (Breton, Coffman), 5:17; 3, Aces, Wallace 3 (Perfetto, Sivak), 5:54; 4, Aces, Olczyk 1 (Hunt, Coffman), 15:25; 5, Aces, Moynihan 3 (Wallace, Coffman), 16:01. Penalties — Levesque, Aces, major (fighting), 8:54; Sivak, Aces (holding), 8:54; Melindy, Wichita, major (fighting), 8:54; Trecapelli, Whichita (interference), 16:23.
Third Period — None. Penalties — Lake, Aces, major (fighting), 3:07; Grant, Wichita, major (fighting); 3:07; Geurts, Aces, double-minor (roughing), 11:44; Tesink, Wichita (roughing), 11:44.
Shots on goal — Aces 22-12-6—40. Wichita 9-10-17—36.
Power-play Opportunities — Aces 0 of 1. Wichita 0 of 2.
Goalies — Aces, Garteig, 6-1-0 (36 shots-36 saves). Wichita, Owsley, 2-3-0 (33-30); Greenham (7-5).
A — 5,578 (13,400). T — 2:30.
Referee — Jeremy Tufts. Linesmen — Lucas Bisbee, Chip Excell.