With three-plus minutes remaining in regulation Saturday night, the Alaska Aces were burdened by a two-goal deficit and the looming prospect of three straight road losses to the Idaho Steelheads.
Stephen Perfetto – boom.
Tim Wallace – big boom.
Steven Tarasuk – the biggest boom.
Aces 5, Steelheads 4, in overtime.
Perfetto scored with 3:06 left in regulation, Wallace delivered the game-tying, extra-attacker goal with 25 seconds left and defenseman Tarasuk scored on the first shift of 3-on-3 OT to avenge regulation losses Wednesday (6-1) and Friday (4-1).
The Aces (20-9-5) have not lost three straight games in regulation this ECHL hockey season.
Saturday marked the second time they have come back from a two-goal deficit – they trailed 2-0 inside the first three minutes and 4-2 in the third period – to win. Alaska won 6-4 at Wichita on Nov. 20 after trailing 3-1 early in the second period.
Perfetto, who assisted on Tarasuk's game-winning strike at CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho, furnished one goal and two helpers.
Alaska's win, and the single point Idaho (20-11-4) earned, kept the Mountain Division tight at the top, where four teams are separated by just three points. The Colorado Eagles own 46 points in 35 games, the two-time defending Kelly Cup champion Allen Americans have 46 points in 37 games, Idaho checks in with 44 points in 35 games and the Aces own 43 points in 33 games.
Saturday's game got off to a dreadful start for the Aces. Idaho's Joe Basaraba scored just 2:06 into the game and Will Merchant generated a 2-0 lead just 41 seconds later.
Still, the Aces got back to even before period's end. Peter Sivak bagged his league-leading 25th goal and Danny Moynihan came through with the equalizer.
But Anthony Luciani's second-period goal and Will Merchant's goal midway through the third period restored the Steelheads' two-goal lead at 4-2.
Michael Garteig stopped 32 shots for the Aces and Branden Komm, who snuffed 44 Alaska shots Wednesday, made 30 saves.
The Aces return home for a three-game series with the Orlando Solar Bears beginning Wednesday night at Sullivan Arena.
Shuffling the deck
Perfetto's goal and two assists gives him 12 multiple-point games in 27 games and eight games of three points or more.
Rookie winger Charlie Sampair entered with one point, an assist, in 12 games. He registered assists on Sivak's goal and Moynihan's goal.
Aces 2 0 2 1 — 5
Idaho 2 1 1 0 — 4
First Period – 1, Idaho, Basaraba 9, 2:06; 2, Idaho, Merchant 9 (Troock, Faust), 2:47; 3, Aces, Sivak 25 (Perfetto, Sampair), 7:54; 4, Aces, Moynihan 10 (Ruegsegger, Sampair), 13:12. Penalties – Jean, Idaho (tripping), 4:49; Stewart, Aces (interference), 8:19; Sivak, Aces (tripping), 9:52.
Second Period – 5, Idaho, Luciani 13, 10:27. Penalties — None.
Third Period – 6, Idaho, Merchant 10 (Linsmayer, Dahl), 9:48; 7, Aces, Perfetto 16, 16:54; 8, Aces, Wallace 9 (Descoteaux), 19:35 (ea). Penalties – Anselmini, Idaho (hooking), 7:15; Lain, Idaho, major (fighting), 9:56; Lake, Aces, major (fighting), 9:56; Glen, Idaho (holding), 11:48.
Overtime – 9, Aces, Tarasuk 5 (Perfetto), :30. Penalties — None.
Shots on goal – Aces 13-8-12-2—35. Idaho 10-16-10-0—36.
Power-play Opportunities – Aces 0 of 3. Idaho 0 of 2.
Goalies – Aces, Garteig, 8-2-0 (36 shots-32 saves). Idaho, Komm, 9-6-2 (35-30).
A – 4,078 (5,006). T – 2:33.
Referee – Chris Pontes. Linesmen – Scott DeBaugh, Brendan Gormley.