ALLEN, Texas – Stephen Perfetto popped in two first-period goals, and Peter Sivak snapped home an empty-netter that proved to be the game winner, as the Alaska Aces held on to defeat the Allen Americans 4-3 Saturday at the Allen Events Center.
The Aces raced out to a 3-0 first period lead thanks to special teams.
After Tim Coffman banged in a rebound of a Tim Wallace shot at 6:11 for his fifth goal of the season, Perfetto gave a lift to both special teams.
He was the toe following the tic and tac on the power play at 12:46. Sivak and Coffman assisting with great passes. Then, at 13:28 Perfetto finished a short-handed 2 on 1 with Sivak to make it 3-0, his sixth goal of the season.
Alaska came out with more offensive pressure in the second period, but lost the momentum to penalties. Nobody scored in the second, but the tide had turned.
Allen got rewarded for their work with goaltender Jamie Murray stopping the Aces, and Matt Willows finding the back of the net at 3:38. Gregor Hanson snapped home a wrister at 9:39 and suddenly it was a one-goal game.
Late in the third, with Murray out for an extra attacker, Sivak ran down a puck in the Allen end with some help from Perfetto and scored into a sliver of an opening before Willows could completely shut the door to make it 4-2 Alaska at 18:43. That was the game-winner, Sivak’s third GWG of the season.
Eric Roy blasted home a long shot with 56 seconds to play for the Americans, but the Aces got savvy with the puck in the end and skated off with the win.
Alaska goaltender Michael Garteig stopped 31 shots for his fourth consecutive win to start the season, while Murray took the loss with 30 saves.
Alaska and Allen close their brief two-game series Sunday at 1:05pm Alaska time.
With Alaska Aces release
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