The Alaska Aces strong start last week to a punishing 10-game road trip continued through half the hockey game Wednesday night, when they led the Utah Grizzlies by two goals.
And then it vanished.
And so did the lead.
And, eventually, so did the potential of pocketing two critical points in the race for the final playoff position in the ECHL's Mountain Division.
That reward went to Utah, which reeled off four unanswered goals, three of them in a span of 6 minutes, 13 seconds, bridging the second and third periods, to rack a 5-3 victory at the Maverik Center and snuff its six-game winless streak.
The Aces' three-game point streak, fashioned with two wins and an overtime loss back East on the opening portion of the trip, was halted.
The Aces (27-19-8) still sit fourth in the Mountain Division — and that's the last playoff spot — with 62 points in 54 games. Missouri sits fifth with 59 points in 54 games and Utah (26-24-6) is sixth with 58 points in 56 games entering games against the Aces on Friday and Saturday.
Aces coach Rob Murray in his postgame radio interview placed fault at the feet of his defensemen, who he said were "horrendous'' and subjects of the club's next video session.
"When things go south, man, I wish I had 10 timeouts to take,'' Murray said on KFQD.
The Aces' promising start, a 3-1 lead furnished by goals from Danny Moynihan, Tim Wallace and former Utah forward Brad Navin, began unraveling late in the second period.
Zac Larraza's power-play strike cut Alaska's lead to 3-2 with three minutes to go in the second period. Former Ace Erik Higby forged a 3-3 tie 81 ticks into the third period and Mathieu Aubin's power-play strike delivered a 4-3 lead 3:10 into the third.
Utah punished Alaska's penalty-killing crew, converting on 3 of 4 power-play chances.
Michael Pelech secured the Grizzlies' win with an empty-net goal.
Shuffling the deck
Tim Coffman's assist on Wallace's goal stretched the center's point streak to a career high-tying seven games. He owns 6-5—11 totals in that span.
Moynihan's goal and assist pushed his point streak to four games (4-4—8). Wallace also owns a four-game point streak (2-5—7).
The Aces went 1 for 3 on the power play and are 6 for 15 on the trip.
Aces leading scorer Stephen Perfetto returned to the lineup after missing three games with an upper-body injury. Captain Garet Hunt remained out of the lineup after having his appendix removed last weekend.
Navin's goal was his first in four games with the Aces. Utah defenseman Marc-Andre Levesque, shipped to the Grizzlies for Navin, had two assists and has five assists in four games with his new club.
Utah's win was its first since a 4-3 shootout win over the Aces in Anchorage on Feb. 10.
Alaska's loss marked only the second time this season it has lost in regulation when leading after two periods. The Aces are 20-2-4 when leading after two periods.
Aces 2 1 0 — 3
Utah 1 1 3 — 5
First Period — 1, Utah, Cuddemi 26 (Amestoy, Levesque), 4:49 (pp); 2, Aces, Moynihan 18, 13:47; 3, Aces, Wallace 16 (Descoteaux, Coffman), 17:14 (pp). Penalties — Perfetto, Aces (tripping), 4:49; Navin, Aces (cross-checking), 6:14; Daly, Utah (interference), 16:46.
Second Period — 4, Aces, Navin 7 (Laplante, Moynihan), 5:31; 5, Utah, Larraza 2 (Levesque, Amestoy), 16:57 (pp). Penalties — Pelech, Utah (high-sticking), 11:43; Utah bench minor, served by Martin (too many men), 13:45; Moynihan, Aces (roughing), 15:19.
Third Period — 6, Utah, Higby 13 (Aubin, Bradford), 1:21; 7, Utah, Aubin 13 (Bradford, Pelech), 3:10 (pp); 8, Utah, Pelech 14, 18:50 (en). Penalties — Laplante, Aces (tripping), 2:31.
Shots on goal — Aces 12-8-8—28. Utah 4-15-8—27.
Power-play Opportunities — Aces 1 of 3. Utah 3 of 4.
Goalies — Aces, Carr, 13-13-3 (26 shots-22 saves). Utah, Faragher, 13-12-3 (28-25).
A — 3,587 (10,200). T — 2:27.
Referee — Andrew Bruggeman. Linesmen — Andrew Collins, Kollin Kleinendorst.