The Alaska Aces have signed forward Luke Erickson to a one-year contract for the 2009-10 ECHL season.

Erickson, entering his third year as a pro, finished second only to Colin Hemingway (who also will be returning to the club) on the Aces with 21 goals last season and placed third with 55 points and 34 assists. The Roseau, Minnesota native was named ECHL Plus Performer of the Month with a +12 rating in January, when he also scored back-to-back game-winning goals in road victories over Ontario and Bakersfield.

The 26-year-old Erickson also helped polish off a weekend sweep of Utah last November with three goals and two assists Nov. 15-16. He scored five goals and assisted on three others during Alaska's run to the 2009 Kelly Cup Finals, including a power play tally in a 3-1 win over South Carolina in Game Two of the championship series.

Erickson spent his rookie season (2007-08) with Pensacola, the worst club in the ECHL, after leaving Bemidji St. as the school's all-time leading scorer. He finished his college career with 121 points on 52 goals and 69 assists in 125 games for the Beavers. Erickson also won a Minnesota high school state championship with Roseau (his hometown) in 1999.

Alaska, winners of four of the last five West Division titles and the defending National Conference champions, opens its regular season at home against Victoria October 16, 17 and 19 (all three games will start at 7:15 p.m.). The third annual "Paint the Rink Pink" pre-season games against Kalamazoo at Sullivan Arena, with a portion of the proceeds being donated toward breast cancer awareness, will be played Oct. 7 and 8 at 7:15 p.m. Those interested in ticket or sponsorship information may visit the Aces offices at the corner of 15th and Gambell Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.