Aces and Kings in second round

VICTORIA, BC – Both teams had a relatively easy time of it in the first round. It was not unexpected for Alaska to move right past Utah in five games (their only loss coming in overtime) and they played with their usual solid style. The Salmon Kings put up some big offensive numbers as well as solid defense in shocking the Idaho Steelheads in a four-game sweep. Neither team is expecting this series to go as easily.

Coaching – Alaska’s Keith McCambridge did what was expected from Alaska’s fans and finished the regular season with the conference’s best record. It is becoming rather commonplace for the Aces to finish high in the standings year after year and they have gotten where they are with solid defense, consistently good goaltending and this season with an offense that is at times explosive. Victoria’s Mark Morrison had to face quite a bit of adversity this year as the lineup was rocked by call-ups and injuries early on and late in the year. It looks like Morrison got it all figured out just in time as the Salmon Kings slumped into the playoffs only to sweep the Steelheads convincingly in round one with solid defense and balanced scoring.
Forwards – Both teams have one scoring leader who is dominant. Alaska is a bit deeper from there on out than the ‘Kings. The leader for Victoria is Wes Goldie who rang up 66 points during the regular season. Conversely for the Aces it is Josh Soares who spent much of the season in the AHL before returning in time for the postseason. With Alaska during the regularseason he notched 22 points in only 12 games. Other hot hands so far in the playoffs for Alaska are Cam Keith, Colin Hemingway, Alexandre Imbreault and Lance Galbraith. Matt Stefanishion has been hampered a bit in the playoffs so far by injury but he has the capability to take a game over completely, either with his scoring skills or by getting under the opposition’s skin. Hot hands so far in Victoria are Olivier Labelle, Shaun Landolt, and Adam Taylor. Keep an eye on Darrel Lloyd, who is a pesky type player that can really stir up a hornet’s nest. Also look for Olivier Filion to break out against his former teammates from Alaska.
Defense – Victoria has a trio of standouts on the backline in Dylan Yeo, Matt Kelly and Gary Gladue. Kelly is currently at the top of the Kings scoring list as well with six points in four games. The Aces defenders are also solid and as a result they gave up a league low 181 goals during the regular season. Veteran Matt Shasby leads the defense for the Aces and they are a solid group all the way through. Goaltending – Both teams are incredibly strong. Alaska’s Jean-Philippe Lamoreux had an exc eptional regular season and so far in the playoffs. He shut out Utah twice in round one. He is very solid and at times outstanding. Combined with Alaska’s solid defensive corps they are a tough team to score on. Victoria’s Todd Ford has been the starter throughout the playoffs and is currently leading the league in playoff gaa with an incredible .95 save percentage. Ford also has a playoff shutout to his credit. Outlook – At first glance one would expect a low-scoring series but there is a lot of firepower on the ice for both teams. This could be a series with a 1-0 shutout one night and 6-5 wild ride the next. It’s a tough one to call as both teams are riding high and have momentum heading in but I’d have to pick Alaska based on their playoff experience alone. Victoria could pull this out if they can find a way to get the puck past Lamoreux consistently.
 
Contact mike.canady@prohockeynews.com
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