ANCHORAGE, AK – Matt Stefanishion’s late goal with just 3:37 seconds in the game forced a Game 7 in this already classic ECHL Kelly Cup Finals series. Early in the game it appeared South Carolina would skate their way to the third championship in franchise history when they scored the game’s first two goals just 38 seconds apart early in the first period. But Alaska kept coming back and eventually won. As a testament to how close this series is the Stingrays nearly tied up the game at the final buzzer, but the puck, swiped at by both Michael Dubuc and Brad Farynuk was ruled to be touched by a high-stick before it went into the Alaska net with all zeros showing on the time clock. Dubuc was front and center early in the game when he was assessed a penalty for tripping just 3:33 into the contest. However, as he would all night long, South Carolina goaltender Jonathan Boutin stood tall keeping the Aces at bay. Alaska poured shots on Boutin dur ing the opening power play and all night long outshooting the Stingrays by a 38-22 margin as they fought to stay alive. But it would be South Carolina who pounced first putting a scare into the large partisan crowd.
Shortly after South Carolina killed the Dubuc penalty they struck when Spencer Carbury banked the puck off Alaska netminder Jean-Philippe Lamoureux’s skate into the goal. It appeared the rout was on when Travis Morin wristed the puck into a wide-open portion of the goal to build the lead to two. Fortunately for Alaska and their 6,610 fans in attendance, with the exception of the waved-off goal it would be the last time the puck would enter Alaska’s goal.
Lance Galbraith started the Aces climb back into the game when he brought Alaska to within one late in the first period when he tipped home a shot by Stefanishion. The next goal was scored by Josh Soares when he took a pass from Matt Shasby and ripped a shot that touched the post behind Boutin. The goals was the first of the finals for Soares, who despite the goal-scoring cold spell, still leads the league in playoff scoring
Despite several chances for each team to pull ahead the game would stay tied at two for over 30 minutes of game time until Stefanishion ended the suspense with a superb individual effort. The 25-year old winger accepted a pass from Vladimir Novak at center ice and worked his way through the Stingrays defense before banking a shot off Boutin and South Carolina defender Zach Tarkir into the goal.
Notes
Anchorage’s Sullivan Arena was completely banged out as an arena record for hockey 6,610 fans were in attendance. The same amount of people will be there for Game 7 on Friday night as the game was completely sold out within 30 minutes after the completion of Game 6…The series is being televised in Alaska on local television and by B2 Networks and B2 Television over both the internet and cable television…Years ending with “9” are good years for long finals series in the ECHL. In 1989 the Carolina Thunderbirds needed seven games to upset the Johnstown Chiefs in the Riley Cup Finals and in 1999 the Mississippi Sea Wolves rallied from a 3-1 deficit to upend the Richmond Renegades…Shasby, an ECHL Second Team All-Star this year, assisted on the game-tying goal after being a healthy scratch in Game 5.
Contract lm.davis@prohockeynews.com
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