ACES THROTTLE CONDORS, 7-1
Nov 14th, 2009
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (photo: Greg Martin) -- Nick Mazzolini and Colin Hemingway scored twice while Sebastian Dahm stopped 36 of 37 shots as Alaska blitzed Bakersfield, 7-1, in front of 5,835 Saturday at Sullivan Arena.
The Aces (8-4-2) scored four goals in a span of less than six minutes to end the competitive phase of the contest in the first period, and by earning their first regulation victory since October 22, remained within three points of West Division leader Idaho. Alaska invades the home of the Condors (8-6) next weekend for another three-games-in-three-nights scenario, beginning Friday at 6:00 p.m. AT. All three games in Bakersfield will be broadcast live on the flagship home of Alaska pro hockey, KFQD 750 AM.
Curtis Fraser set up Alexandre Imbeault (pictured) for the game's first goal at 2:56 of the first period, a wrist shot from between the circles, and that seemed to open the proverbial floodgates. T.J. Fast (also pictured, #3) finished an odd-man rush with his first goal of the season at 5:27, and Hemingway scored the first of his two goals barely a minute later. When Nick Tuzzolino increased the gap to 4-0 with his third goal of the season at 8:44, Bakersfield goaltender Justin Pogge was pulled, having stopped just two of six shots.
The Aces (8-4-2) scored four goals in a span of less than six minutes to end the competitive phase of the contest in the first period, and by earning their first regulation victory since October 22, remained within three points of West Division leader Idaho. Alaska invades the home of the Condors (8-6) next weekend for another three-games-in-three-nights scenario, beginning Friday at 6:00 p.m. AT. All three games in Bakersfield will be broadcast live on the flagship home of Alaska pro hockey, KFQD 750 AM.
Mazzolini greeted Pogge's replacement, Timo Pielmeier, by scoring the first goal of his young pro career with three minutes left in the period. After Nick Kemp tucked a rebound underneath Dahm's pads at 17:55 to finally put the Condors on the board, Mazzolini scored again 25 seconds later, leaving Alaska with a whopping 6-1 advantage after the opening 20 minutes.
Pielmeier did not return for the second period, having stopped five of seven shots. Pogge fared better in his return to the pipes, surrendering only Hemingway's second goal of the night with 6:12 left in the game. Dahm finished with 36 saves to improve his personal record to 5-3. Tuzzolino also assisted on a goal and finished +5, while nine other regulars finished +2 or better.
