BAKERSFIELD COMPLETES SWEEP OF ALASKA, 4-2
BAKERSFIELD, California -- Following up on his hat trick in Saturday's 7-4 win, Dan Sexton scored twice more, including an empty-netter from inside his own blue line in the final minute to seal a 4-2 victory and a three-game sweep of Alaska before 3,542 Sunday at Rabobank Arena. Stephane Goulet opened the scoring at 6:59 of the first period, set up by a cross-ice pass from Andrew Ianiero. Playing despite suffering from flu-like symptoms that had kept him out of the lineup on Saturday, Aces captain tied the score less than three minutes later, stuffing home a short side rebound.
Never before in their ECHL history had the Condors swept a three-game series from the Aces, who have lost in a row on the road and are 8-7-2 overall heading into a three-game series in Utah next week. The Grizzlies won their fifth straight and play host to Alaska Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 5:00 p.m. AT. All three games will be broadcast live on KFQD 750 AM, with Goldie Award-winning coverage getting underway 15 minutes prior to face-off each night.
Shawn Weller broke the 1-1 tie by scoring on the power play with 3:39 left in the second period, Bakersfield's sixth with the man advantage in the series, assisted by Sexton and Mathieu Aubin (pictured next to Alaska's Ryan Turek, credit Michael Duffy). Sexton went coast-to-coast and beat Alaska goalie Scott Reid for the third shorthanded goal in as many nights for the Condors at 8:49. The Aces responded on the same power play as Nick Mazzolini buried another rebound with 10:20 still left in the contest.
Alaska never got the equalizer, however, and Sexton wheeled and fired home the clincher with the Aces pressing for the tying score and the net empty. Reid finished with 27 saves while his counterpart, Timo Pielmeier, stopped 23 of 25 Alaska offerings. Sexton finished the three-game series with 10 points (5g-5a), including four assists in a 6-2 Bakersfield victory Friday.


