Trio of Aces savoring the opportunity BIG IMPROVEMENT: Kissel, Ruegsegger and Boyle went from just playing out the string to competing for a ring.

During an ECHL playoff game last month, just before the puck dropped for what was otherwise just another faceoff, Alaska Aces rookie winger Dan Kissel glanced at Idaho Steelheads defenseman Matt Case, smiled and shared a moment.
"Wow,'' Kissel said to his former teammate, "so much better than Gwinnett, huh?''
Kissel began the season with Gwinnett -- Case was his teammate with the Gladiators in Georgia -- but escaped that relative pucks purgatory when a trade in early February landed him with the Aces.
The Gladiators' season ended six weeks ago -- they did not qualify for the Kelly Cup playoffs.
Kissel, meanwhile, finds himself preparing for the Kelly Cup Finals -- the Aces entertain the Kalamazoo Wings, who eliminated Wheeling 6-1 on Tuesday night, in Game 1 of the best-of-7 series Saturday night at Sullivan Arena.
"It was definitely a good move, to say the least,'' Kissel said of his trade. "It's unbelievable. I remember coming to the Aces and my coach (in Gwinnett) saying, 'Hey, the Aces are going to make the playoffs.' "
In Gwinnett, Kissel earned 9-14--23 totals in 45 games, but his ice time had declined and he was lugging around a plus-minus number -- minus-30 -- that hung around his neck like an albatross.
But his fresh start with the Aces furnished them fresh ammunition. In 27 regular-season games, Kissel racked 11-12--23 totals and a plus-9 rating, and he has delivered 2-4--6 and plus-1 totals in Alaska's eight playoff games, all wins. And Kissel cost the Aces virtually nothing -- he arrived in exchange for future considerations, which have been met, and didn't even include another player.
Tyler Ruegsegger is another Aces rookie winger whose acquisition turned into a rink reward for him and his club.
Ruegsegger began the season with the Utah Grizzlies, and owned 7-7--14 totals in 35 games with them. Aces coach Brent Thompson acquired him straight up for Maxime Tanguay in mid-January. All Ruegsegger did in 23 regular-season games with the Aces was generate 9-6--15 totals, and he has contributed 1-2--3 totals in eight playoff games.
Utah eliminated Stockton in a first-round playoff series, but was then swept by Victoria, which in turn was swept by the Aces in the Western Conference Finals. The Grizzlies' season ended three weeks ago, and Ruegsegger finds himself still alive in the postseason and presented the chance to win a championship in his first season in the play-for-play game.
"I'm very thankful,'' Ruegsegger said. "It's been an awesome ride. I've looked at this season as an adventure. This season, it's had its ups and downs.
"Looking back, though, it's all worked perfectly.''
Aces defenseman Daryl Boyle, meanwhile, has played in both the American Hockey League playoffs and the ECHL playoffs this season.
Boyle contributed one assist in two Calder Cup games for the Peoria Rivermen, the Aces' affiliate that was swept by Houston in the first round and has been done for more than three weeks. Because he played the minimum five regular-season games with the Aces to be eligible for the Kelly Cup playoffs, the Aces listed him on their 23-man playoff roster. Shortly after Peoria was eliminated, Boyle joined the Aces for the series against Victoria.
Boyle, who has dealt four assists in four Kelly Cup games, said he was excited to rejoin the Aces for their playoff run.
"I didn't really play much in Peoria, so I knew coming here was a great opportunity to extend my season,'' Boyle said. "Any chance you get to win a championship, you have to take it.''
Shuffling the deck
Kalamazoo won the Eastern Conference title with that 6-1 win over the Wheeling Nailers to seize the best-of-7 series, 4-2.
The K-Wings used 37 saves from Ryan Nie and goals from six different scorers to reach the Kelly Cup Finals in just their second season in the league. Kalamazoo previously played in the International Hockey League and United Hockey League. The franchise dates back to 1974.

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Find Doyle Woody's blog at adn.com/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.