dugoutAK

Finally some ice time for Minard and he scores!

Did Minard not make the team? He isn't on the roster submitted to AHL.com, yet he was scoring well in the preseason??

Well, we had some mid 40s last week in February, so Mother Nature is being a little twisted these days, as my mother in north Florida reported to me a colder temp in the 30s that same day.

Single digit temps? That's average for us here in Anchorage, what are you wussies whining about. I'll bet Minny felt at home. Try some -15 nights coming to the arena....the worst part is the leaving the arena!!

How about some love for Minard's 8 points in 10 games (5 goals), not to mention his 38 points in 29 games in the ECHL (25 goals) before being called up! Albany isn't exactly an offensive juggernaut and he is putting up the same .50 gpg and .90 ppg....over an 80 game season...just his AHL stats, that is.

Word has reached back here in Anchorage that Minard has been told that he needs to find permanent housing in the Albany area, he will not be returning to Alaska his season. Looks like he did have another good game tonight.

I think I can speak for most here in Anchorage in hoping that Minny sticks with Albany and stays at that level. Sure we miss a guy as talented as he is, but our squad hasn't missed a beat since he left. It's funny, you lose the league's leading goal scorer and we have so much depth at forward that our scoring has picked up. Teams are struggling with us now as well, they don't know which line to defense, as they can't key on Minard and his line, and all 3 of our lines are producing equally!! Congrats to Minard and hopefully he can help the Rats out the rest of the season. Although it would be nice to see him back for the playoffs should you guys not be going anywhere and the Devils not have interest in calling him up!!

Glad to hear Minny is getting his chance and making the most of it!!

Just heard that on our broadcast that he scored twic and got the GWG!! Glad to see Chris' hard work payoff a little bit. Hope we don't see him back here!!

Looks like these are updated now on the site. Gionta - #14 Gomez - #11 Rafalski - #28 ROSTER

I'm wondering that too, hopefully, he's not stuck on a checking line. Call up a sniper and stick him on the checking line, then wonder why the kid can't score and send him back down. What line was he on Friday night??

Alaska Aces media director Jack Michaels announced during the pregame tonight that Chris Minard had been called up by the River Rats today. He left the team from Phoenix today after a goalless night last night in San Diego. Good Luck Chris! Anchorage Daily News

Dan, who played for my favorite pro team...the Thrashers!! Sorry to say that in here, but I'm originally from North Florida and a diehard Atlanta fan. The Devs are my 1a, as Gomer, Stevens and the crew have always been Alaska's top choice!!

I have to be sounding like a broken record by now, but Chris Minard scored two goals AGAIN tonight, this time, as the Aces lost for just the 4th time this season and 1st time since Nov. 12th. He now has scored 10 goals in 6 games and has 25 on the season (28 games). This places him in a tie for first in the ECHL.

Minny notched two more goals tonight in the Aces 6-5 win, his third straight 2 goal game. Actually, Chris now has 4 two goal games in his last 5 outings and 23 goals on the season, good for second in the E. Through 27 Games: 23 G, 12 A, +24, 9 PPG, 2 SHG So much for the theory that his league leading goal scoring last year was ALL due to Gomez's play-making ability! Last season with Gomez as his center, Minard had 14 goals through 27 games!

How many of the Rats have that?? They'd rather sign Chris, then let him toil in AK instead of helping the Rats. But, seeing that they are a high-octane scoring machine, they really don't need a pure goal scorer like Chris to help them out, as they have plnty of those lighting up the A. That would be why Albany is tearing up the East I suppose! I'm just updating you on Rats' property.

In his first game back after a nine day holiday break, Minny notched two more goals, for a season total of 21 and a streak of 18 goals in 16 games!! He is currently second in the ECHL in goals.

Chris heads to the Christmas break having scored 2 goals in tonights 4-1 win at Victoria BC. 16 goals in the last 15 games. Not sure where he will go into the break in league goal scoring as there are games Tues and Wed, but he has 19 on the season now. The Aces are the first team to break the 40 point barrier at 19-3-3.

UPDATE: Sunday: No goals in win Friday: 2 goals in OT loss Saturday: no goals in 8-0 blowout win 14 goals in 14 games now! Tied for third in ECHL in goals, tied for first with 8 PPG, and tied for first with 4 GWG. Aces win streak ended at 11 Friday night with OT loss, but for whatever reason, it's an 'unbeaten' streak at 13 now. One game Monday before Christmas break, then nothing until 28 Dec.

#15 was scored tonight in Alaska's 10th consecutive win. Chris is now tied for tops in the E with Utah's Matt Craig. 12 goals in the last 11 games!! He is scoring in every type of way he can, as well. Tonight was a steal and laser from top of the circle, last night was a deflection in front of the net on the PP. Sunday, he had a shortie on a breakaway, a PP goal, and a goal on a rebound in front! He's doing it all.

He has a 2-way deal with Albany, assigned to Alaska. Apparently, there wasn't enough room for him in Albany so they assigned him back to Alaska due to the Aces owning his ECHL rights.

Another goal tonight, moving to second in the league with 14. Also was the only player to score in the Aces shootout (W)! The Aces hot streak coincides with Minard's. A club record 9 game winning streak now, having won 11 of 12, tops in the E with 32 points.

No goals for Minny for three games (T, W, Fri). Then one on Saturday and a natural Hat Trick tonight in Fresno. 13 goals on the season now, giving him 10 goals in 9 games now. The Aces are on a roll, winning 8 straight, tops in the ECHL with 30 points.

Totals weren't too bad before Gomez either. You'd think it would show that he would do better when playing with a talented center. He knows how to score, where to place himself, it's just someone getting him the puck. He did admit that Scotty told him to just get to his spot, not to worry about anything else. This year he has to do the other work along the boards as well, then go. 2002-03 Pensacola Ice Pilots ECHL 72 15 17 32 2003-04 San Angelo Saints CHL 64 39 36 75 2004-05 Alaska Aces ECHL 69 49 29 78 2005-06 Alaska Aces ECHL 14 9 4 13 But hopefully they will look at him. Then again, we're happy to have him here!!

Chris Minard has begun to catch fire, scoring goals in four straight games. He has six goals during this streak and nine on the season. He is starting to adjust to new linemates for a second time this season. He's paired up with a much more talented center now, as opposed to the start of the season. Although, he's no GOMER!!! It also helps that our PP has started to roll after a 1 for 43 start!