Given the way the Alaska Aces could be feeling about themselves and their uneven play of late, it seemed appropriate to hear a few bars of the Rolling Stones' "Emotional Rescue" play on the sound system Saturday during a five-goal first period at Sullivan Arena.
Two periods and four more Alaska goals later, the home team skated off with a 9-4 ECHL hockey victory over Bakersfield.
"It was absolutely huge for us," Alaska forward Ethan Cox said. "We've had kind of an eye-opening view of ourselves and why things haven't been going our way.
"It came simply from not working hard enough and that was one of the things we wanted to accomplish tonight."
But the joy won't last long -- that's a hockey player's way.
"Tomorrow's a new day," Cox said. "We have to get back to it."
Alaska and Bakersfield conclude their three-game weekend series today at 5:05 p.m.
Wes Goldie's hat trick inched him closer to the all-time ECHL goal-scoring record and Cox, Dan Kissel, Bryan Miller and Brian Swanson all delivered three-point performances in what was just the fifth win in 14 games for the Aces, who recently returned from a brutal road trip.
Points proved plentiful as 14 of Alaska's 16 skaters registered either a goal or an assist. Newcomer Blair Yaworski registered his first two goals in an Aces sweater.
Alaska also guaranteed itself the chance to defend its Kelly Cup championship from last season. The Aces (34-14-6) became the first team in the 20-team circuit to clinch a playoff berth, and did so in near-record fashion.
Alaska earned its postseason berth in 54 games, second only in league history to the speed with which the 2007-08 Texas Wildcatters clinched a postseason spot (48 games).
The reality is seven of the eight teams in the Western Conference reach the playoffs, so you didn't see a big celebration.
"We don't really care about that because we still want to finish at the top (of the league or conference)," Goldie said. "Clinching is just one of those steps. It doesn't mean much. But the earlier you do it, the better."
Alaska's raucous first period started with a goal from Swanson. Goals from Goldie, Cox, Yaworski and Chris Langkow followed.
Yaworski's goal at 14 minutes, 41 seconds chased Bakersfield starting goaltender Matt Keetley, one night removed from making 49 saves in a 4-1 Condors win. Keetley stopped 13 of 17 shots he faced.
Anchorage product and reigning ECHL player of the week Evan Trupp scored twice in the opening period for Bakersfield. He has recorded five goals in his last three games.
Alaska lost much of its first-period fire and was outshot 12-5 in the second period. The teams exchanged goals and the Aces led 6-3 entering the third.
"As a whole, our second periods need to get better," Cox said. "You can't take any part of the game off, really. But for some reason our second periods, we've had some lapses and loss of focus."
Aces goalie Adam Courchaine stopped 11 shots in the second, finished with 21 saves and collected his 17th win of the season.
An early third-period goal from Bakersfield's Robby Dee made things interesting. However, the Aces answered with the final three scores of the evening. Those included Goldie's 27th and 28th of the season, which give him 363 in his ECHL career.
Goldie, who magnificently batted a puck out of midair into the net from the right circle for Alaska's ninth goal at 17:22 of the third, is five goals behind all-time ECHL scoring leader Rod Taylor, who scored 368 goals in 678 league games.
Goldie will play his 680th ECHL game today.
"You know, I try to block out (the chase for the record)," he said. "But it makes it sort of difficult when (the numbers) get announced over the (sound) system all the time."
Individual records and the formality of playoff berths don't mean a ton to the Aces right now. They're attempting to regain the swagger that allowed them to jump out in front of ECHL pack earlier in the season.
"Tonight, we got the offensive mojo going," Goldie said. "We just need to keep working to get the defensive side tightened up."
Shuffling the deck
Aces forwards Jordan Kremyr and Tyler Ruegsegger missed their second consecutive games with undisclosed injuries and are doubtful to play today ... The Aces wore special mushing-themed sweaters, a combination of white, blue, black, purple and aurora-borealis-green. Defending Fur Rendezvous World Championship Sled Dog Race champion Egil Ellis dropped the ceremonial first puck ... The Aces snapped Bakersfield's modest four-game winning streak. The Condors fell to 14-33-5.
Bakersfield 2 1 1 -- 4
Aces 5 1 3 -- 9
First Period -- 1, Aces, Swanson 6 (Kissel, Marsh), 4:30; 2, Aces, Goldie 26 (Miller, Kissel), 8:35 (pp); 3, Bakersfield, Trupp 7 (Stanfield), 10:59; 4; Aces, Cox 11 (Ambroz, Anderson), 11:42; 5, Aces, Yaworski 6 (Cox, Ward), 14:41; 6, Bakersfield, Trupp 8 (Stanfield, Van Dyk), 15:17; 7, Aces, Mazzolini 16 (Langkow, Lafranchise), 16:32. Penalties -- Pierro-Zabotel, Bakersfield (elbowing), 7:53; Kushneriuk, Bakersfield (cross-checking), 17:17; Mazzolini, Aces (roughing), 17:17.
Second Period -- 8, Bakersfield, Annesley 2 (Lewadniuk, Pierro-Zabotel), 8:12; 9, Aces, Yaworski 7 (Harrison, Cox), 18:39. Penalties -- Kissel, Aces (tripping), 8:51; Burgdoerfer, Bakersfield (cross-checking), 15:53; Pender, Bakersfield (roughing), 17:02; Goldie, Aces (roughing), 17:02; Ward, Aces (roughing), 18:52.
Third Period -- 10, Bakersfield, Dee 16 (Gimblett), 6:49; 11, Aces, Ward 5 (Kissel, Swanson), 11:53; 12, Aces, Goldie 27 (Swanson, Miller), 13:11; 13, Aces, Goldie 28 (Kissel, Miller), 17:22. Penalties -- Lewadniuk, Bakersfield (tripping), 8:07; Swanson, Aces (boarding), 15:01; Goulet, Bakersfield (slashing), 17:31; Goldie, Aces (slashing), 17:31.
Shots on goal -- Bakersfield 5-12-8--25. Aces 19-5-14--38.
Power-play Opportunities -- Bakersfield 0 of 3. Aces 1 of 3.
Goalies -- Bakersfield, Keetley (17 shots-13 saves); Pitton, 4-17-3, enter at 14:14 first (21-16). Aces, Courchaine, 17-10-4 (25-21).
A -- 4,936 (6,399). T -- 2:19.
Referee -- Don Jablonski. Linesmen -- Scott Sivulich, Will Moran.
By MATT NEVALA
Daily News correspondent