The Alaska Aces haven't won their last two hockey games, and while that won't satisfy them, they can find solace in getting to extra time in those games, which each time pocketed them a point in the standings.
Alaska fell at Idaho, 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday night, one evening after losing 2-1 in OT to the Steelheads. But those results, coupled with the Aces' 5-3 Wednesday night in Boise, earned them four points from a three-game road series, and that will suffice.
After all, the Aces (12-4-3) are riding an eight-game point streak (6-0-2) as they return home to entertain the Toledo Walleye in a three-game series at Sullivan Arena. They are also 6-2-2 on the road after going 10-21-5 in hostile rinks last season.
Idaho (13-6-2) won the skills contest 1-0, which is what the Steelheads do — they are 4-0 in shootouts this season. Caleb Herbert scored for the Steelheads in the first round of the three-round session. The Aces are 0-2 in shootouts.
Once and present Aces goaltender Lukas Hafner delivered 34 saves in regulation and overtime in his season debut and Tyler Ruegsegger's power-play strike midway through the third period at CenturyLink Arena forged a 2-2 tie.
Hafner played for the Aces late last season after he finished his college career at Western Michigan and he was in training camp with them this fall. But with third-year pro Kevin Carr signed after an offseason trade and rookie Michael Garteig added to the roster courtesy of the Vancouver Canucks, the Aces had no room for Hafner coming out of training camp — most pro teams keep two goalies.
Hafner dropped to the Southern Professional Hockey League. But when Garteig was summoned to the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League last month because of an injury to Richard Bachman, Alaska coach Rob Murray plucked Hafner from the Columbus Cottonmouths of the circuit one rung below the ECHL on the ladder of North American pro hockey.
Hafner's effort Saturday furnished Carr with a night off after making five consecutive starts (4-0-1) and winning the circuit's Goaltender of the Week award in that stretch.
Aces defenseman Steven Tarasuk gave the Aces a 1-0 lead with his first-period goal, and the Steelheads countered with goals that book-ended the second period. Kellan Lain struck on the power play 62 seconds into the period — that snapped Alaska's string of 19 consecutive penalty kills over six games — and Travis Ewanyk scored with nine seconds left in the period.
But Ruegsegger bagged his third goal in the last three games, and fourth in six games, for the equalizer. Hafner and Idaho goalie Branden Komm (29 saves) made that stand through regulation and overtime.
Shuffling the deck
Danny Moynihan's assist on Ruegsegger's goal extended his point streak to five games. He owns 3-3—6 totals in that span.
Winger Justin Breton, who missed Friday's game with illness, sat out Saturday with that and an upper-body injury.
Idaho's Joe Basaraba assisted on Ewanyk's goal to stretch his point streak to six games. Basaraba, who scored the OT dagger Friday, is 2-5–7 during his streak.
Idaho wins shootout, 1-0
Aces 1 0 1 0 — 2
Idaho 0 2 0 1 — 3
First Period — 1, Aces, Tarasuk 3, 8:05. Penalties — Bell, Idaho, major (fighting), 1:30; Lauwers, Aces, major (fighting), 1:30; Sivak, Aces (holding), 13:42; Descoteaux, Aces (slashing), 18:36.
Second Period — 2, Idaho, Lain 3 (Dodero), 1:02 (pp); 3, Idaho, Ewanyk 8 (Baldwin, Basaraba), 19:51. Penalties — Lauwers, Aces (cross-checking), :54; Dodero, Idaho (interference), 9:07; Jean, Idaho (tripping), 12:39.
Third Period — 4, Aces, Ruegsegger 5 (Trenz, Moynihan), 11:38 (pp). Penalties — Dodero, Idaho (delay of game), 7:56; Rutt, Idaho (tripping), 10:15; Trenz, Aces (slashing), 15:43.
Overtime — None. Penalties — None.
Shootout — Idaho 1 (Herbert G, Luciani NG, Basaraba NG, Aces 0 (Sivak NG, Moynihan NG, Sampair NG).
Shots on goal — Aces 10-7-10-4—31. Idaho 14-7-13-2—36.
Power-play Opportunities — Aces 1 of 4. Idaho 1 of 4.
Goalies — Aces, Hafner, 0-0-1 (36 shots-34 saves). Idaho, Komm, 4-2-1 (31-29).
A — 4,779 (5,006). T — 2:47.
Referee — Jeremy Tufts. Linesmen — Scott DeBaugh, Brendan Gormley.