Lammers Bags His First AHL Goal Of Season (Plus, Notes)

FEBRUARY 7, 2010 - 12:48 PM

It took 21 combined games split between the Providence Bruins and Manitoba Moose, but erstwhile Alaska Aces sniper John Lammers finally racked his first American Hockey League goal of the season today.

Lammers' second-period goal stood up as the game winner for Providence in a 6-2 win over Worcester. Lammers went +1 with two shots on goal.

In 10 games with Providence, Lammers owns 1-3--4 and +3 totals. Earlier this season, he went without a point and was -7 in 11 games with Manitoba.

For the Aces, Lammers owns 20-15--35 and +7 totals in 25 games, and still leads the club in goals despite missing 23 of the team's games.

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Guess That Was An OK Ending For The Aces -- If You Like Excitement, That Is

FEBRUARY 6, 2010 - 11:06 PM

Decent finish to tonight's Aces-Condors game, eh? You know, if you like small miracles and the home team winning in overtime.

I mean, you know, getting a crazy bounce off the glass with goaltender Frank Doyle pulled for an extra attacker and generating the tying goal, Judd Blackwater's marker for the hat trick, with just 63 seconds left in regulation.

Maybe that was meant to be. Blackwater already was scheduled to sign autographs for fans after the game at a table the Aces set up each night, so at least he had something to talk about as he signed.

And the Aces took advantage of a, um, brassy call by referee Keith Kaval in OT, when he busted Bakersfield's Eric Regan for tripping. Looked like a trip to me. Also looked like Regan was a very long way from the puck as he and T.J. Fast chased it into the Aces' zone, so it took, um, quite a pair to blow that whistle.

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Wallace Makes NHL Return; Gomez Helps Spoil It

FEBRUARY 6, 2010 - 12:57 PM

Winger Tim Wallace of Anchorage returned to the NHL today, when he played for Pittsburgh in a 5-3 loss at Montreal.

Wallace logged a modest 5:50 of ice time, with an even rating. But, hey, he's in the NHL, and making a pro-rated $500,000 for however long he stays up.

Scott Gomez, the veteran center for the Canadiens, pitched in with one goal and one assist -- and a -2 -- in 20:54 of ice. Of course, he should probably be putting in a hard day's work -- he's an $8 million a year player, and that's a pretty sweet gig.

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UAA's Clark Among WCHA's Top Snipers

FEBRUARY 6, 2010 - 10:01 AM

UAA senior winger Kevin Clark, who bagged a pair of goals in Friday's 4-4 tie at St. Cloud State, is among the WCHA's league leaders with it comes to solving goaltenders.

Clark's 13 goals in 23 league games ranks third on the circuit behind Wisconsin's Blake Geoffrion (16 strikes in 19 WCHA games) and Minnesota-Duluth's Justin Fontaine (14 goals in 21 league matches).

And Clark's team-leading 16 goals, the most by a UAA dude since Curtis Glencross buried 21 goals in 2003-04, put him fifth in the league in all games.

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Our Man Chris Holt, The Former Aces Goalie, Remains King Of The Transactions Wire

FEBRUARY 6, 2010 - 9:56 AM

Just another weekend in the life of fifth-year pro goaltender Chris Holt, the former Alaska Aces backstop who always has a packed suitcase in the closet, a travel toothbrush handy and is ready to roll at a moment's notice.

Holt was sent down from AHL Binghamton to ECHL Elmira on Friday -- at least that's when the transaction was published -- and was in Elmira long enough to pick up a cup of coffee and a 27-save W in a 5-1 win over visiting Wheeling. Of course, today, Holt was called back up to Binghamton.

Not that any of this is new -- Holt remains King Of The Transactions Wire.

He's appeared on the AHL transactions wire five times already this season -- a quick perusal of that wire indicates his career-high is 12 AHL transactions as a rookie in 2005-06 -- and, by my hurried, rough count, 37 times in his career.

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Aces: Sometimes Simple, Smart Hard Work Delivers Success

FEBRUARY 5, 2010 - 11:08 PM

On a white-board just inside the Alaska Aces' locker room tonight were a few phrases that typified their performance in a 3-2 win over the Bakersfield Condors despite a thin lineup that included nine forwards only because locals, and former pros, Merit Waldrop and Jimmy Dahl, filled out the front line.

On the board:

"Effort!!!''
"Effort!!''
"Effort!''
"No Excuses!''
"WhatEver It Takes!''

The Aces evidently took the words to heart, beating the Condors for the second straight time heading into Saturday's series finale.

"Just a solid game,'' said veteran winger Eric Boguniecki, who scored two goals.

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Dahl, Miller Will Give Short-Handed Aces Some Minutes

FEBRUARY 5, 2010 - 2:36 PM

The short-handed Alaska Aces should have a couple more bodies in the lineup tonight against Bakersfield -- winger Jimmy Dahl of Anchorage is scheduled to help them out again and defenseman Bryan Miller, who has missed the last five games with a shoulder injury is expected to provide some minutes. (UPDATE: Miller, it turned out, was a scratch, and missed his sixth straight).

Without those two, the Aces have eight forwards and six defensemen, and the eight forwards include Merit Waldrop of Anchorage, who has twice signed on to help the club in the last month. Waldrop furnished an assist in Wednesday's 4-1 win over Bako.

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Anchorage Winger Wallace Gets The NHL Call Again

FEBRUARY 5, 2010 - 2:30 PM

Winger Tim Wallace of Anchorage has been summoned by the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins.

Wallace, a fourth-year pro who last season made his NHL debut and played 16 games for the Pens, is enjoying a strong season for Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He owns a career-high 14 goals and 21 points in 47 games, and is +4 for the Baby Pens.

Anyhow, Pittsburgh plays Saturday at Montreal, which features center Scott Gomez of Anchorage.

The Penguins on Sunday play at Washington in a game that is scheduled to be broadcast locally at 8 a.m. on KTUU Channel 2, the NBC affiliate. Gee, that match surely won't be hyped as Crosby vs. Ovechkin, will it?

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Imbeault Makes Czech Extraliga Debut

FEBRUARY 5, 2010 - 12:14 PM

Former Alaska Aces center Alexandre Imbeault, who was the ECHL club's leading scorer when he bolted the team for Europe last week for opportunity -- and more bucks we're sure -- made his debut today in the Czech Extraliga.

Imbeault did not score a point and earned an even rating in HC Slavia Praha's 3-1 win over Vitkovice Steel.

Oh, and just more evidence that hockey really is a small, small world: One of Imbeault's new teammates is former UAF defenseman Darcy Campbell. Campbell, who played one NHL game straight out of college, earlier this season played in the Finnish Elite League. For Slavia Praha, he has one assist in eight games.

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Aces: Still Thin At Forward, But That's Life In The ECHL

FEBRUARY 4, 2010 - 4:02 PM

Winger Anthony Peluso's departure for Peoria of the American Hockey League after playing in the Alaska Aces' 4-1 win over Bakersfield on Wednesday night leaves the Aces with just eight healthy forwards and six defensemen.

Coach Brett Thompson late this afternoon said he had calls out everywhere in search for some bodies, but no luck so far. He's got a call into former UAA skater and former pro Jimmy Dahl of Anchorage, who helped the Aces by playing three home games for the club recently, when it was similarly short-handed.

Worse-case scenario, Thompson said, defenseman Bryan Miller, who has played forward, might be able to come back for Friday's game or Saturday's against Bakersfield to provide a few minutes, most likely of power-play time. Thompson said Miller is feeling better, but not 100 percent.

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UAA Will Be Missing Some Key Players This Weekend

FEBRUARY 4, 2010 - 10:55 AM

Working on a story for Friday's dead-trees edition of the paper, but might as well get some info flowing through the series of tubes about UAA's WCHA series at St. Cloud State this weekend.

The Seawolves will be without three key players -- second-leading scorer Tommy Grant (sprained knee), usual first-line center Nick Haddad (hip) and all-situations defenseman Brad Gorham (knee).

Based on what I saw at practice Tuesday -- and, remember, lines are always subject to change -- looks like Alex Gellert will move up to center Josh Lunden and Kevin Clark on the first line. The line of Daniel Naslund centering Mickey Spencer and Sean Wiles looked to stay together. The other lines had Curtis Leinweber moving to the pivot to center Mitch Bruijsten and Tyler Currier, and Craig Parkinson centering Jade Portwood and Chris Crowell.

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Former Seawolf Winger Curtis Glencross Bags First NHL Hat Trick

FEBRUARY 3, 2010 - 8:52 PM

Former UAA winger Curtis Glencross, the last Seawolf to furnish a 20-goal season, bagged his first NHL hat trick tonight.

Glencross scored three goals for the Calgary Flames in a 4-1 win over Carolina, clinching the hat with an empty-net goal. Pretty nice work for a mere 13:02 of ice time.

Glencross owns 14-13--27 and +8 totals in 54 games. That leaves him one goal shy of tying his career high -- he scored 15 goals in 2007-08 while splitting 62 games between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Edmonton Oilers.

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Check Out The Remarkable Plus-Minus Turnaround Of Former UAA Blueliner Mat Robinson

FEBRUARY 3, 2010 - 3:19 PM

Former UAA defenseman Mat Robinson, a rookie with Elmira, today was named co-winner of the ECHL's Plus Performer of the Month for January after going +12 in 12 games. (He shared the award with Stockton defenseman Anthony Aiello, another rookie).

But that doesn't begin to tell the story of his amazing turnaround for the Jackals this season.

After 26 games, Robinson checked in at -11. In 17 games since then, though, he has put up a startling +20 to leave him at +9 through 43 games. Impressive, too, is his run in the last five games -- he has at least one point in each with a total of seven assists in that span, and has gone +13 in that stretch.

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Frank Doyle Can't Start Every Aces Game (UPDATE: He's The ECHL Goalie Of The Month)

FEBRUARY 3, 2010 - 11:37 AM

Surely, Frank Doyle will start in goal for the Alaska Aces tonight, when they entertain the Bakersfield Condors in the opener of a three-game series at Sullivan Arena.

And it wouldn't be a surprise if Doyle started all three games -- the teams play again Friday and Saturday, so he can use Thursday as a day of rest. (UPDATE: By the way, Doyle today was named the ECHL Goaltender Of The Month, and the stats below show why.)

But there seems to be a little static out there in the Cowbell Crew community of club supporters that wonders why Doyle, who has shored up the ECHL team's goaltending, doesn't start every game.

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Aces: Now Stefanishion Is Outta Here

FEBRUARY 2, 2010 - 12:28 PM

The other skate dropped on the Frank Doyle trade today: The Alaska Aces are sending winger Matt Stefanishion to Charlotte to complete the ECHL deal that brought goaltender Doyle here a month ago, Stefanishion confirmed late this morning.

The departure of Stefanishion, who with 14 goals in 30 games ranked as the second-leading goal scorer left on the club, comes on the heels of scoring leader Alexandre Imbeault's move to the Czech Republic; the trade of Colin Hemingway, last season's leading scorer, to Stockton; and the prolonged promotion to the American Hockey League of leading goal scorer John Lammers.

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Galbraith Showing A Hint Of Breaking Out

FEBRUARY 1, 2010 - 9:16 PM

Veteran winger Lance Galbraith got off to a miserable start with the Alaska Aces -- 3-7--10 totals and a -15 rating in 23 games -- and that factored greatly in the ECHL club trading him to Utah earlier this season.

Things haven't got a ton better in Utah, at least not until the last three games, when Galbraith racked 2-5--7 and +5 totals to boost his Utah stats to 2-8--10 and +2 in 15 games.

Tonight, in a 3-1 home victory over Las Vegas in which the Grizzlies lured former television star Gary Coleman to drop the ceremonial puck -- talk about a "Say Cheese!'' moment -- Galbraith racked one goal and one assist for the second straight game. These last two games are the only times this season he has produced a goal and a helper in the same game.

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This Is Why The WCHA Is Wicked Hard

FEBRUARY 1, 2010 - 10:17 AM

Chalk up wins, losses or ties any weekend in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and the familiar refrain comes: "It doesn't get any easier after this.''

No kidding.

In the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls released today, the WCHA has six teams in the top 10 -- the polls are identical in the top 10 -- and that doesn't include No. 7 Bemidji State, which joins the league next season.

After No. 1 Miami (Ohio) of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, WCHA Denver is No. 2, Wisconsin is No. 3, St. Cloud State is No. 4, Minnesota-Duluth is No. 6, North Dakota is No. 9 and Colorado College is No. 10.

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On The Recruiting Trail: UAA Lands One, UAF Two

JANUARY 31, 2010 - 12:52 PM

According to Chris Heisenberg's recruiting site, UAA has gained a commitment from a center and UAF has received commitments from a defenseman and a winger.

UAA snagged center Mark Pustin, 20, who plays for the Fairbanks Ice Dogs in the North American Hockey League. He owns 21-31--52 totals in 43 games and ranks third in the league in scoring. The 5-foot-8, 155-pounder from Northridge, Calif., already has more than doubled his production with the Ice Dogs last season, when he went 11-15--26 in 46 games.

UAF has picked up Adam Henderson, 20, a left wing with the Spruce Grove Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

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Aces Bombshell: Leading Scorer Imbeault Bolts For Europe (UPDATED)

JANUARY 31, 2010 - 11:44 AM

In a season filled with injuries, trades and mediocrity, the Alaska Aces absorbed more dismal news today – they have lost leading scorer Alexandre Imbeault, who is departing to play in the Czech Republic.

Imbeault’s move robs the ECHL club of its top-line center and power-play quarterback, and further reduces a team that already is without its leading goal scorer this season and its leading scorer from last season. John Lammers, whose 20 goals lead the Aces, is on his second extended call-up to the American Hockey League and Alaska recently traded Colin Hemingway, its leading scorer last season.

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Victoria Wins An Epic Shootout In Stockton (16 Rounds To Win 1-0)

JANUARY 30, 2010 - 10:55 PM

They played a beauty tonight in Stockton, where Victoria went through 16 shootout rounds to secure a 1-0 win over the Thunder before an announced crowd of 9,158 at Stockton Arena.

Andy Brandt's goal in the 16th round gave the Salmon Kings a 2-1 edge in the shootout.

Victoria's Glenn Fisher stopped 31 shots in regulation and overtime, and 15 of 16 shooters in the shootout. He stopped former Aces Colin Hemingway and Matt Robinson twice each. Bryan Pitton made 34 saves in regulation and overtime, and stopped 14 of 16 shooters in the shootout -- take about a hard-luck loser. Still, among his stops in the shootout were two on Victoria sniper Wes Goldie, two on Eric Walsky of Anchorage and one on former Aces center Olivier Filion.

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