A night behind the Alaska Aces’ bench
You’d think that by the third period it would smell seriously ripe back here behind the Alaska Aces bench. Sixteen men have spent the night banging out shifts of 45 seconds or so, sweat leaking from their pores, soaking their equipment, and surely that must generate some funk. Somehow, though, it’s not remotely rank in this little region of the rink.
Sorrowful and sweet: End of the Aces
It was sweet and sorrowful, a celebration tinged with sadness, at once a slice of hockey heaven and a sliver of hockey hell, and then the Alaska Aces were no more.
This was deep into Saturday night, postgame inside Sullivan Arena, where a standing-room-only crowd of 6,273 remained to make the long goodbye last a little longer.
Rink retirement: Gomez calls it a career
He’s come full circle. This is where the most illustrious hockey career in Alaska started, and this is where it ends. Scott Gomez is done, retired at 36.
Aces are Kelly Cup champions again
The Aces claimed their 4-0 title-clinching victory over the Cincinnati Cyclones to win the Cup on Monday night with the efficient attention to detail of a bookkeeper and the clinical detachment of a medical examiner. “Textbook,” said defenseman Kane Lafranchise.
The longest journey: JJ hits NHL at 32
After all his travels and travails, and all the suggestions he call it a career and move on, the former East High, UAA and Alaska Aces right winger finally reached the promised land: He debuted in the National Hockey League. At 32, no less.
A different kind of numbers game
When Seawolves skaters learned they would be permitted to wear numbers above 40 this season, and also switch numbers if a desired one was available, a slew of them were down for different digits.
Words matter 