STOCKTON, Calif. – It’s official, the Alaska Aces will take on the Las Vegas Wranglers in the Western Conference Finals beginning Thursday, April 26, 2012. The best of seven series will be in a 2-4-1 format, due to building conflicts. The Alaska Aces will have the home advantage as the top-seeded team.
The Aces defeated Stockton over the past weekend in five games to earn the advance, marking their sixth advancement to the conference finals in franchise history.
While the Wranglers defeated the Utah Grizzlies in the first round, and knocked out the Idaho Steelheads in the second round to advance to the conference finals.
The Aces and Wranglers will face each other for their second time for the Conference Finals, and have four post-season games between them historically, which Alaska winning two of the last three. In 2009, Alaska advanced to reach the Kelly Cup Finals. In 2008, Las Vegas defeated the Aces in the Conference Semifinals. The Aces knocked out the Wranglers in their first ever post-season match up on their way to winning their first ever Kelly Cup Championship.
The Wranglers were 5-3-1 over the Aces during the regular season, where three of the nine games went into overtime. This should be an exciting series, no doubt.
The schedule is:
Game 1: Thurs, Apr 26, at Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Game 2: Fri, Apr 27, at Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Game 3: Sun, Apr 29, at Sullivan Arena, Anchorage, Alaska
Game 4: Tues, May 1, at Sullivan Arena, Anchorage, Alaska
*Game 5: Wed, May 2, at Sullivan Arena, Anchorage, Alaska
*Game 6: Fri, May 4, at Sullivan Arena, Anchorage, Alaska
*Game 7: Wed, May 9, at Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
(*If necessary)
The winner of this match-up will advance to the Kelly Cup Finals, where they will face either the Florida Everblades or the Kalamazoo Wings of the Eastern Conference.
Contact the writer at Shellie.Lima@prohockeynews.com
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