58-463: Alaska Aces may refer to: Alaska Aces (ECHL) , American ice hockey team Alaska Aces (PBA) , Filipino basketball team Alaska's Clear and Equitable Share (ACES), a taxation structure in the state of Alaska Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Alaska Aces . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
116-658: A 0–4–1 tourney run. In the 1992–93 season, new head coach Mike Ashley led the Aces to a 19–3–0 regular season record. In the USA Hockey Senior Men's Open Tournament, the Aces finished second for the second year in a row after compiling a 4–1 record in the tourney, losing the tiebreaker to the Chicago Chargers. Ashley resigned following the season. For the 1993–94 season, the Aces played as an independent team. Steve Gasparini took over as head coach, and led
174-499: A conventional "city bus". there are no fixed routes, bus stops, or flagstops. Riders must arrange pickup by phone the day before. The City of Soldotna operates eleven recreational parks and a memorial park: Additionally, the city owns Arc Lake, located on the Sterling Highway just south of the city limits. Tsalteshi Trails are located just south of Soldotna with two trailheads; behind Skyview Middle School and across from
232-481: A division of the University of Alaska Anchorage . The campus sits among 300 wooded acres on Soldotna's west side and includes a library, laboratories, computer labs, a residence hall, and an art gallery. The Kenai River Campus enrolls approximately 2,500 students a semester and offers associate's and bachelor's degrees, certificate programs, and occupational endorsement certificates. The Amundsen Educational Center
290-403: A female householder with no husband present, and 38.7 percent were non-families. Of all households, 32 percent were made up of individuals living alone, 9.2 percent of whom were 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.02. The age distribution of the population shows 26 percent under the age of 18 and 13 percent age 65 or older. The median age
348-517: A few more games and the mass exodus of players soon followed, after Wright left the team. The team itself was making a profit, but the owner's other financial ventures continued to drain the team of its revenue. In May 2002, the team owner filed personal bankruptcy . Cusack included his ownership of the Anchorage Aces franchise in the filing. According to the filing papers, the team was almost $ 2 million in debt. In June 2002, Cusack put
406-486: A new Pacific Rim Hockey League, the Aces joined the new West Coast Hockey League (WCHL) for the 1995–96 season. Mike Cusack Jr. became sole owner of the franchise following the 1995–96 season. In the 1996–97 season, the Aces initially lost in the league playoffs to the Fresno Falcons in four games. The WCHL commissioner determined that their 2–4 loss in game four would be changed to a 1–0 victory due to forfeit by
464-621: A senior men's ice hockey team to compete against the established Alaska Gold Kings in Fairbanks . The Aces played four unofficial games during the 1989–90 season. During the 1990–91 season, Keith Street led the team on a 22–game schedule, which included 20 games against teams registered with USA Hockey . The 1990–91 season ended with the Aces winning the Senior Men's Open National Championship held in Fairbanks. In 1993 and 1994, they won
522-503: A variety of ecosystems including ice fields and glaciers, mountain tundra, northern boreal forests, and lakes, wetlands and rivers. The Chickaloon River Flats remains the last pristine major saltwater estuary on the Kenai Peninsula and attracts thousands of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds annually. The Refuge is also home to brown and black bears, dall sheep, moose, and caribou. The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor's Center
580-730: Is a city in the Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska . At the 2020 census , the population was 4,342, up from 4,163 in 2010. It is the seat of the Kenai Peninsula Borough . Soldotna is located in the Southcentral portion of Alaska on the central-western portion of the Kenai Peninsula . The city limits span 7 square miles along the Kenai River , which empties into the Cook Inlet in
638-840: Is a non-profit educational and vocational training school located on the eastern edge of the city. The AEC offers courses in building construction, office occupations, and medical coding. Alaska Christian College offers an associate degree in Behavioral Health, Christian Ministry, General Studies, and Paraprofessional Education. Soldotna schools are administered under the Kenai Peninsula Borough District (KPBSD) school board. Public elementary schools include Soldotna Elementary, Redoubt Elementary, and Kalifornsky Beach Elementary. Skyview Middle School serves all students in grades 7–8, as well as students from Sterling Elementary and Tustumena Elementary outside
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#1732776677699696-586: Is a non-profit organization located in the historic Ralph Soberg House inside Soldotna Creek Park. The KWF works to maintain the health of the watersheds on the Kenai Peninsula. Its programs include Stream Watch, which trains volunteers to protect the Russian and Kenai Rivers; a summer camp for 6-12 year olds; and environmental restoration projects ranging from invasive plant remediation to riverbed reconstruction to culvert reconfiguration/replacement. The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge consists of 1.92 million acres in
754-474: Is located on Ski Hill Road close to the intersection of Funny River Road and the Sterling Highway. The Sterling Highway runs through and connects the eastern and central portions of the city. Its intersection with the start of the Kenai Spur Highway , widely known as the "Soldotna Y" due to its previous Y-shaped configuration, is a local landmark. The Kenai Spur Highway connects neighborhoods in
812-557: Is the Homestead Museum, a collection of early structures including the original Slikok Valley School and examples of homestead cabins. The museum also houses Alaska Native artifacts. The Joyce K. Carver Memorial Library on Binkley Street was remodeled in 2013, providing media resources to the greater Soldotna community. The library offers six desktop computers and two laptops for public access and free Wi-Fi for anyone with wireless enabled devices. The Kenai Watershed Forum (KWF)
870-487: Is the largest medical facility on the peninsula with 49 beds, an emergency care facility, and specialties including family medicine, ear-nose-throat, birthing center, general surgery, neurology, OB/GYN, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, pathology, pediatrics, podiatry, psychiatry and radiology. Many smaller healthcare providers and healthcare-related businesses have located in Soldotna to take advantage of proximity to
928-916: The Continental Basketball Association championship in 1980. Mike Scott received the ECHL Kelly Cup MVP award after the Aces' 4–3 win over the Gladiators in game five of the series. In 2009, the Aces stormed through the first three rounds of the Kelly Cup Playoffs, winning in five games against both the Utah Grizzlies and the Victoria Salmon Kings in the first two rounds, and sweeping the Las Vegas Wranglers in
986-764: The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District are located in the city. In 1947, after World War II, the United States government withdrew a number of townships along Cook Inlet and the lower Kenai River from the Kenai National Moose Range , opening up the area to settlement under the Homestead Act . Veterans of the United States armed services were given a 90-day preference over non-veterans in selecting land and filing for property. Also in that year,
1044-572: The Sterling Highway right-of-way was cleared of trees from Cooper Landing to Kenai . The location of present-day Soldotna was selected as the site for the highway's bridge crossing the Kenai River. The construction of the Sterling Highway provided a link from the Soldotna area to the outside world. More homesteads were taken and visitors came to fish in the area. The Soldotna Post Office opened in 1949 and other businesses opened in
1102-403: The 2014–15 season despite playing road games in only six different locations. In 2017, co-owner Jerry Mackie stated that the ownership was considering ceasing operation upon the completion of the 2016–17 season due to the mounting financial losses, the recent sagging Alaskan economy, the aforementioned high travel costs and dwindling attendance. On February 23, the ownership officially announced
1160-737: The 2016–17 season would be its last. On April 8, 2017, the Aces played their final game in a 3–2 loss to the Idaho Steelheads in front of a sold out Sullivan Arena. In June 2017, the Aces' ECHL membership was sold to Comcast Spectacor , who relocated the team to Portland, Maine , for the 2018–19 ECHL season . Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, SOL = Shootout losses, Pts = Points, PCT = Winning percentage, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes . Records as of 2016. [REDACTED] Media related to Alaska Aces at Wikimedia Commons Soldotna, Alaska Soldotna
1218-473: The Aces 3–0 in the first round of the playoffs. Overall, the Aces finished in third place with a 34–30–4 record and advanced to the semifinals, only to be ousted by the Tacoma Sabercats in three games. In 2001–02, Wright was promoted within the franchise and began serving as the new general manager. He hired former NHL coach and player Butch Goring as the team's new head coach. In effort to revamp
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#17327766776991276-711: The Aces to a 22–9–1 regular season record. The Aces also won their second championship in the USA Hockey Senior Men's Open National Tournament with a 5–0 run highlighted by the 6–0 rout of the Fresno Falcons . In 1994–95, the Aces joined the Pacific Hockey League (PHL), formed by a merger of the PSHL and PNHL. The team went 27–9 and lost in the championship game to the Gold Kings. The PHL folded after only one season. After an unsuccessful attempt to form
1334-702: The Central Peninsula as well as for travelers between Anchorage and Homer . The Central Peninsula Hospital serves the medical needs of the region's residents and tourists. The Kenai Peninsula College , a branch of the University of Alaska Anchorage , operates the Kenai River Campus in Soldotna. Additionally, the headquarters of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, the Kenai Peninsula Borough, and
1392-416: The Central Peninsula hospital. Tourism on the Kenai Peninsula revolves heavily around outdoor activities, including fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, and canoeing/rafting. Soldotna provides several city-owned, public access parks along the Kenai River. The river contains all five Pacific salmon species, as well as other salmonids such as Dolly Varden and rainbow trout. Soldotna is also in close proximity to
1450-607: The ECHL in scoring and win league Most Valuable Player honors. The Aces' 2006 triple overtime win against the Las Vegas Wranglers was at the time the third-longest game in ECHL history, concluding after 113 minutes, 30 seconds. In 2006, the Aces became only the second team in ECHL history (joining the South Carolina Stingrays of Charleston, SC) in winning both the Brabham Cup and Kelly Cup championships in
1508-667: The Fresno Falcons, when they failed to meet the minimum roster requirement due to injuries and suspensions. The Aces won the deciding fifth game 5–3 and advanced to the Taylor Cup finals, but were defeated by the San Diego Gulls . In the 2000–01 season, Stirling Wright was brought in to serve as assistant coach. He was instrumental in bringing in former NHL players when the Aces signed former NHL goalie Vincent Riendeau and right wing Kevin Brown . The Idaho Steelheads defeated
1566-770: The Kelly Cup Playoffs, they swept the Idaho Steelheads and Victoria Salmon Kings , and then won the Kelly Cup Championship over the Kalamazoo Wings in five games. The Aces won a third Kelly Cup in 2014, defeating the Cincinnati Cyclones in the finals in six games. On August 22, 2013, the Aces announced their affiliation with the Calgary Flames . In 2014–15 the Aces defended their Kelly Cup championship playing in
1624-523: The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District were formed. The city experienced rapid population growth in the 1960s through the 1990s as a result of its location at the intersection of two major highways and due to development of the oil industry on the Kenai Peninsula. As the city and the oil industry have matured, population growth has somewhat slowed, although the city experienced more growth from 2000-2010 than during
1682-916: The National Amateur Championship. They finished second in 1992 and 1995. The Aces joined the Pacific Northwest Hockey League (PNHL) for the 1991–92 season, playing six of their home games at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage and eight at the Central Peninsula Sports Center in Soldotna . The Aces finished second in the PNHL with a 16–12–2 regular season record, and were the runners-up in the national USA Hockey tourney after
1740-614: The National Conference Finals. They were in the Kelly Cup Finals for the first time since their championship season in 2006, but they lost in seven games to the South Carolina Stingrays . In 2010–11 , the Aces dominated the entire season, winning the Brabham Cup by earning the best record in the league, as well as leading the league in points scored. Wes Goldie lead the league in goals scored. In
1798-536: The Pacific Division of the ECHL 's Western Conference, but failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the team's WCHL days. They would miss the playoffs again in 2016. The Aces were the northernmost and westernmost team in the ECHL, located 2,731 miles (4,395 km) from their closest geographical rival, the Idaho Steelheads . As a result, the team spent over $ 300,000 in travel-related costs during
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1856-667: The Soldotna Sports Center on Kalifornsky Beach Road. The trail system contains over 25 kilometers (15 miles) of trails groomed for cross country skiing in the winter and open for hikers, runners, mountain bikers and leashed dogs when there is no snow. The Soldotna Regional Sports Complex is home to the Kenai River Brown Bears , a Tier II junior hockey team that plays in the North American Hockey League . Les Anderson, at
1914-524: The Sterling Highway at Kasilof . Funny River Road continues eastbound from the northern terminus of K-Beach Road, connecting the Sterling Highway with Soldotna Airport (see below), Kenai National Wildlife Refuge headquarters and Funny River . Almost all of the city's commercial districts are arrayed along these roads. Interior arterial and collector streets, such as Binkley and Kobuk streets and Marydale and Redoubt avenues, primarily provide access either to residential areas or to community facilities such as
1972-581: The Sterling Highway. At its northern end, it straddles the southernmost portions of city limits (including Kenai Peninsula College and the Soldotna Sports Center ) and adjoining Kalifornsky . Continuing past city limits, K-Beach provides an alternate access to Kenai along the south side of the Kenai River via the Warren Ames Memorial Bridge, the last road crossing downriver, then continues west and south, returning to
2030-578: The WCHL was absorbed by the East Coast Hockey League in 2003, the team joined the merged ECHL . The Aces official team mascot was a polar bear named Boomer. Aces fans were known for using small, ceremonial cow bells painted with the Aces insignia to show their support during games. In 2017, the ownership group announced that the 2016–17 season would be the team's last, after which the franchise would cease operations. The owners cited
2088-442: The airport, one on February 4, 1985, involving a commuter flight from Anchorage and one on July 7, 2013, involving an air taxi flight, resulted in the deaths of all on-board (nine and ten fatalities, respectively). Public transit is offered through CARTS (Central Area Rural Transit System), an on-demand shuttle system serving the communities of Kenai, Soldotna, Funny River, Kasilof, Nikiski, and Sterling. CARTS does not operate like
2146-468: The borough building, the post office, Central Peninsula Hospital and Soldotna High School Soldotna Airport ( FAA LID and IATA : SXQ, ICAO : PASX) is a city-owned, public use airport located in the southeastern corner of city limits, across the Kenai River from the city center. Primary access to the airport is from Funny River Road, a short distance east of its intersection with the Sterling Highway. Two plane crashes associated with operations at
2204-481: The city government offices, Soldotna is home to the Kenai Peninsula Borough administration and the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District administration. The Donald E. Gilman River Center is a multi-agency permitting, information and education center on Funny River Road near the Soldotna municipal airport. The Center houses staff from the Alaska State Parks agency, the Kenai Peninsula Borough (including
2262-507: The city was 86 percent White , 0.3 percent Black or African American , 4.3 percent Native American , 1.6 percent Asian , 0.3 percent Pacific Islander , 0.8 percent from other races , and 6.8 percent from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of all races comprised 3.9 percent of the population. There were 1,720 households, out of which 30.1 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44 percent were married (husband-wife) couples living together, 11.9 percent had
2320-548: The city's boundaries. Students attend Soldotna High School for grades 9–12. There are also a number of private schools. The Soldotna Visitor Center, located at the Kenai River Bridge, includes wildlife displays of brown and black bear, dall sheep, bison, wolverines, bald eagles, mountain goats, king crabs, various birds and the world record king salmon. Located near the Soldotna Visitor Center
2378-514: The cool summers, though the diurnal temperature variation is larger than most locations in the region. Winters are snowy, long but not particularly cold, especially considering the latitude, with January featuring a daily average temperature of 13.4 °F (−10.3 °C). There are 46 nights of sub-0 °F (−18 °C) lows annually, and the area lies in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 4, indicating an average annual minimum in
Alaska Aces - Misplaced Pages Continue
2436-400: The game, the fans in attendance would receive free Aces tickets. After a 10–18–4 season start, Aces' owner, Mike Cusack, fired Goring and Lou Corletto, who served the franchise as Vice President of Business Operations. He brought back former head coach, Walt Poddubny . Stirling Wright stepped down as general manager, due to his disapproval of the owner's decisions. The Aces went on to win only
2494-682: The habitat protection, floodplain management, and coastal district programs), the Alaska Department of Fish and Game , and the Kenai Watershed Forum. Electricity is supplied by the consumer-owned Soldotna Generation Plant , operating a 40 MW General Electric LM6000 natural gas turbine. The local grid is islanded after the 2019 Swan Lake Fire . A 46 MW two-hour grid battery started grid stability and peak power in January 2022. The Central Peninsula Hospital
2552-494: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alaska_Aces&oldid=877664163 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Alaska Aces (ECHL) The Alaska Aces , known as the Anchorage Aces until 2003,
2610-400: The nearby city of Kenai . Soldotna is located on the western edge of the vast Kenai National Wildlife Refuge , a protected area spanning nearly 2 million acres and home to bears, moose, caribou, sheep, and many fish and bird species. The city is located at the junction of the Sterling Highway and the Kenai Spur Highway , which has enabled Soldotna to develop as a service and retail hub for
2668-564: The next few years. Oil was discovered in the Swanson River region in 1957, bringing new economic development to the area. In 1960, Soldotna was incorporated as a fourth class city with a population of 332 and an area of 7.4 square miles (4,723.4 acres). Then seven years later, in 1967, Soldotna was recognized as a first class city. In 1964, the Kenai Peninsula College , the Kenai Peninsula Borough government, and
2726-500: The north-central portion of the city to other parts of Soldotna, adjoining Ridgeway and beyond to Kenai , Salamatof and Nikiski , ending along Cook Inlet at the Captain Cook State Recreation Area. The western portions of Soldotna are connected by local roads (east of the Kenai River ) and Kalifornsky Beach Road (west of the river). "K-Beach" Road, as it is often known, is a loop to the west of
2784-424: The previous decade. In 2016, it was granted home rule. Soldotna is located at 60°29′12″N 151°4′31″W / 60.48667°N 151.07528°W / 60.48667; -151.07528 (60.486617, −151.075373), on the banks of the Kenai River on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. It is named after nearby Soldotna Creek. There are multiple theories explaining the origin of the word "Soldotna"; these include
2842-692: The same season. In 2008, the Cincinnati Cyclones became the third team to accomplish this feat. In 2011, the Aces accomplished the feat for the second time, becoming the first team to ever do it twice. In 2006, Alaska won the ECHL Kelly Cup title in five games over the Gwinnett Gladiators . This was the first professional sports title won by an Alaskan team since the Anchorage Northern Knights won
2900-566: The struggling Alaskan economy, and sagging ticket sales among the reasons for the club's financial downfall. In June 2017, the franchise was sold and relocated to Portland, Maine , to become the Maine Mariners for the 2018–19 season. The team was established in 1989 as the Anchorage Aces. They were originally a semi-professional club in the Pacific Southwest Hockey League organized by Dennis Sorenson, as
2958-487: The team up for sale on eBay . The club's owner, Cusack, accepted a $ 1.862 million bid from Duncan Harrison, owner of Alaskan Automotive Distributing in Anchorage, but U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge Donald MacDonald converted the Aces' bankruptcy case to Chapter 7 , which allowed him to reject the Harrison bid. The listing was withdrawn when it was discovered that a US$ 2.3 million bid was a college student's prank. The club
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#17327766776993016-474: The team, Wright only extended the contracts of four players from the previous season. The Aces additionally signed five former NHL players, including defenseman Jim Paek , goaltender Scott Bailey, wingers Todd Harkins and Daniel Goneau, and center Clayton Beddoes. Clayton Beddoes retired just a few games into the season due to a previous shoulder injury. The Aces promoted a "Guaranteed Win Night" where if they lost
3074-474: The time the owner of Soldotna's Ford dealership, holds the record for the largest king salmon , caught here on May 17, 1985, and weighing in at 97 lb 4 oz. The record-setting fish is on display at the Soldotna Visitor Center. Fish counts are determined by sonar fish counters. They are rough estimates based on averages over a prolonged period. For 2012, king salmon were estimated at 5,173, while red salmon were estimated at 1,581,555. In addition to
3132-558: The variant "Soldatna", which was the prevalent spelling of the community's name during the 1950s and 1960s. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 7.4 square miles (19 km ), of which 6.9 square miles (18 km ) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km ) of it (6.34%) is water. As with much of Southcentral Alaska , Soldotna has a moderate dry-summer subarctic climate ( Köppen climate classification : Dsc ) due to
3190-440: The −20 to −30 °F (−29 to −34 °C) range. Summers are cool due to the marine influence, with 12 days of 70 °F (21 °C)+ highs annually. Soldotna first appeared on the 1960 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated in 1967. As of the 2010 US Census, there were 4,163 people residing in 1,720 households in the city. The population density was 563 people per square mile. The racial makeup of
3248-448: Was 34.6 years. The 2012 estimated median income for a household in the city was $ 44,805, and the median income for a family was $ 56,208. The per capita income for the city was $ 30,553. About 3 percent of families and 6.1 percent of the population were below the poverty line , including 2.9 percent of those under age 18 and 8.3 percent of those age 65 or over. Soldotna is home to the Kenai Peninsula College ’s (KPC) Kenai River Campus,
3306-488: Was a professional ice hockey team in Anchorage, Alaska . Home games were played at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage. The Aces won three Kelly Cup championships, with their last championship following the 2013–14 ECHL season . The Aces were formed as a semi-professional team in the Pacific Southwest Hockey League (PSHL) in 1989 and became a charter member of the professional West Coast Hockey League (WCHL) in 1995. When
3364-639: Was eventually sold for $ 1.05 million to a seven-member group. As of 2015 the Aces and Idaho Steelheads were the only former WCHL teams still playing in their original markets. The Aces joined the ECHL for the 2003–04 season following a merger between the WCHL and the East Coast Hockey League. They were renamed the Alaska Aces after the league switch, and unveiled a new logo and new uniforms. The team gained national prominence in 2004 when it signed New Jersey Devils all-star and Alaska-born Scott Gomez during that season's NHL lockout . Gomez went on to lead
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