ANCHORAGE, AK – Anchorage, AK-The South Carolina Stingrays surprised a standing room only crowd of 6,482 at Anchorage’s Sullivan Arena by registering a third period comeback to win 4-2. South Carolina rookie Maxime Lacroix scored two goals within 13 seconds in period three to tie and then net the winning goal. He now has nine goals in post season play. Jeff Corey got the other two South Carolina goals, his seventh and eight of the playoffs.
“The two teams are mirror images of each other and I would expect a real defensive effort for both teams,” said South Carolina coach Jared Bednar before the series had started. “I am anxious to see how we match up with the Aces.”
His prediction of a defensive struggle came true immediately in period one. It was not until almost five and one half minutes into the game after Alaska Governor Sarah Palin had conducted a ceremonial faceoff before the Stingrays would get the first shot on goal. South Carolina ended up with only four shots in the period on Aces’ goalie Jean-Philippe Lamoureux while Alaska fired seven shots at the starting Stingrays’ goalie, Jonathan Boutin.
Most of the Aces shots came during a five-on-three power play that lasted into the second period. During the first period the Aces had the best scoring opportunity during the first part of this power play but Boutin made an outstanding save that prevented what looked to be an easy score. Defense reigned and the first period ended with a scoreless tie.
Period two started with the Aces having a two-man advantage for the first 25 seconds of the period. The Aces took just fourteen seconds to score on a shot from the point by defenseman Bryan Miller which was tipped past Boutin by Cam Keith. Josh Soares drew the other assist on Keith’s goal.
The second period then seemed to open up and the level of physical play intensified as both teams registered some very big hits. The result was a series of penalties on both teams. South Carolina was able to leverage their first power play of the period to tie the score 1-1 at the 8:52 mark. Corey scored his first goal of the night as he flipped the puck past Lamoureux who gave up a rebound on a shot from the point by defenseman Sasha Pokoluk. Josh Godfrey manning the other point for the Rays’ had fed the puck to Pokoluk for the original blast on goal. Godfrey and Pokoluk both were credited with assists on the Corey goal.
The second period’s next best scoring opportunity came to the Stingrays. Just as an Aces power play expired Godfrey came out of the penalty box, picked up the puck and was able to spring center Travis Morin on a clean breakaway. Morin was pulled down from behind and was awarded a penalty shot at 11:11 of the period.
Morin skated in on his attempt and seemingly faked Lamoureux out of position. Wrong! Just as Morin attempted to backhand the puck into an almost empty net, the Aces’ goalie was able to poke check the puck away and Morin tripped over the goalie’s stick and came up empty.
Then the Aces got their own breakaway on a South Carolina defensive breakdown. Scott Burt cashed in with a picture perfect wrist shot from the far side circle. Burt slipped in behind the ‘Rays defense and skated in alone to help the Aces regain the lead 2-1 with less than two minutes left in the second period. Set up passes came from Ryan Turek and Derick Martin. The goal was number five in the playoffs for Burt.
Period three started as a defensive battle again until Lacroix went to work setting an ECHL playoff record for the two fastest goals in the playoffs by a single player. First he tied the game at 5:58 of the period with a scorcher of a slap shot that beat Lamoureux up high. Pierre-Luc O’Brien was able to hit Lacroix with a pass from behind the Aces’ goal. Zach Takir also got an assist.
Lacroix scored again at 6:09 with a helper from Morin to give the ‘Rays their first lead of the night. His goal beat the Aces’ goalie through heavy traffic. The crowd was somewhat stunned as this is the first time Alaska has trailed in a home playoff game at home.
Meanwhile, the visitors were playing stifling defense. Alaska had a total of seven shots in period three and managed only one shot on goal in the first 18:10 of the final period. Time and time again the Stingrays’ forwards and defensemen broke up rushes, deflected passes and interrupted the offensive flow of the Aces. The Aces got absolutely no pressure until they pulled Lamoureux for the extra attacker with about two minutes left in the game.
The Aces thought they had tied the score with the extra attacker on the ice at the 1:48 mark. Lance Galbraith thought he had jammed the puck under Boutin but Referee Francis Charron ruled it no goal after initially waiving it off and then discussing the play with his officiating team. Charron affirmed his ruling after discussions with his linesmen and the goal judge. Television replays seem to confirm his call as Boutin stopped the puck before it had entirely crossed the goal line.
Corey then put the game out of reach with his second goal of the night ,an empty netter at 18:32 with assists going to Trent Campbell and Patrick Weller. That fourth goal given up by the Aces surpassed the three goals the Aces had given up at home in total in their six wins at Sullivan Arena prior to this loss.
Boutin stopped 25 shots in the win while Lamoureux stopped 24 of the 27 shots he faced in taking the loss.
The second game of the best of seven games series is scheduled for Saturday night in Anchorage with a 7:15 PM local time start.
Contact the author at Phil.Brand@prohockeynews.com Catch all the playoffs at Intotheboards.net
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