OMG!: Minard Lighting Up AHL (Um, As Usual); And Here Are Your Alaska Connections in the 'A'

The American Hockey League kicked off its season over the weekend and, in a completely unsurprising development, former Alaska Aces sniper Chris Minard lit it up. (Um, the sun also rose today.)

Minard, who has dominated that circuit the last three seasons and also dabbled in the NHL in each of the last two seasons, opened the campaign for the Springfield Falcons (Edmonton's affiliate) with a goal and a helper Saturday in a 5-2 win over Portland, and a goal today in a 6-2 loss at Providence.

In the last three-plus AHL seasons, all Minard has managed is 93 goals in 177 regular-season games, better than a goal every other game.

Saturday, he assisted on a goal by former Aces winger Charles Linglet, and Linglet returned the favor today. Those two have a teammate who also is a former Aces winger in Ryan MacMurchy.

While we're on the subject, here are your 25 Alaska-connected players in the AHL this season (if you see someone who is not listed, but should be, e-mail me at dwoody@adn.com):

Albany River Rats: Former Aces defenseman Zack FitzGerald.

Binghamton Senators: Former Aces enforcer Tim Spencer.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers: Former UAA goaltender Nathan Lawson.

Chicago Wolves: Winger Joey Crabb of Anchorage.

Grand Rapids Griffins: Goaltender Jordan Pearce of Anchorage.

Hamilton Bulldogs: Former Aces enforcer Eric Neilson and former UAA defenseman Chad Anderson.

Hartford Wolf Pack: Former UAA center Paul Crowder and former UAF goaltender Chad Johnson.

Hershey Bears: Former UAA center Jay Beagle and former Aces defenseman Patrick Wellar.

Lowell Devils: Former UAF defenseman Tyler Eckford.

Manitoba Moose: Former UAA forward Eric Walsky of Anchorage.

Peoria Rivermen: Former Aces center Julian Talbot and former Aces winger Ryan Reaves.

Portland Pirates: Former Aces goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux.

Providence Bruins: Former Aces goaltender Kevin Regan and former UAF defenseman Jeff Penner.

Rochester Americans: Former Aces goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu and former UAA defenseman Luke Beaverson.

Springfield Falcons: Former Aces wingers Chris Minard, Charles Linglet and Ryan MacMurchy.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins: Winger Tim Wallace of Anchorage and, in a blast from the past, former Aces enforcer Wade Brookbank (Brookbank, 32, played for the franchise when it was known as the Anchorage Aces in the West Coast Hockey League days, and in his first season as a pro racked 337 penalty minutes in 56 games in 1998-99).