Aces Sweep Gulls with 5-1 win in Game 3

Published on April 10, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


ANCHORAGE, Alaska – It wasn't supposed to happen but it did... The heavily favored San Diego Gulls finished with the best regular season record in the ECHL. The underdog Alaska Aces, however, did the unthinkable. Not only did they eliminate the Gulls, but swept them three games to none.

It was the Joe Talbot, Mark Smith and Charles Linglet show in Game 3. Talbot and Smith finished with two goals apiece, while Linglet chipped in with two helpers, leading the Aces to a 5-1 victory and sweep of the Blue and Orange in the Pacific Division Semifinals.

In Game 1, the Aces dominated the first period and jumped out to a huge lead. The same thing happened in Game 3 as Alaska charged out to a big 3-0 cushion.

The first goal came at 7:13 of the first, via a Greg Barber turnover inside the San Diego zone. Barber had the puck along the right wing boards, but Chris Lipsett intercepted his attempted clearing pass at the blue line. Lipsett walked in a couple of steps and dished it to a wide-open Smith, who beat Trevor Koenig with a wrister from the high slot for his first goal of the night.

Alaska continued to carry the momentum and was awarded again at 14:47... then again at 16:12 to take a commanding three-goal lead.

Talbot and Linglet, who've given the Gulls fits in the series, were at it again and combined on the Aces' second goal. Linglet got past Dan Cousineau behind the net and fed Talbot, who shook off a check from Brian Gornick and flipped it past Koenig for his first goal of the game.

Then, 1:25 later, Smith lit the lamp again for his second goal of night. Garrett Prosofsky made the play happen, busting out of the right wing corner and finding Smith all alone in front of the net. The Alaska center took Prosofsky's feed and redirected it into the empty net.

Head coach Steve Martinson pulled Koenig for the remainder of the first period in favor of Colin Zulianello, but put him back in to start the second.

The Gulls held Alaska's offense in check during the second period and even killed off a two-man disadvantage for a 1:51. Their offense, however, was still non-existent and the Aces maintained their 3-0 lead heading into the third period.

David Neale gave the Gulls some life when he finally got them on the scoreboard 51 seconds into the third. Clayton Read won an end zone faceoff deep in the Alaska zone and puck eventually bounced behind the net. That's where Dan Cousineau picked it up and centered a pass to Neale, who beat a screened Dan Murphy from the left wing circle.

Talbot, however, put the nail in the coffin when he potted his second of the night – fourth of the series – at 10:38. The goal came on another San Diego turnover, as Linglet stole the puck inside the Gulls zone and fed a wide-open Talbot, who beat Koenig at point-blank range.

Kimbi Daniels capped the scoring and added insult injury with an empty-netter at 18:32 of third.

Notes: This is the first time the Gulls have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs... It's also the first time they've been swept... San Diego is now 10-4 when facing elimination... The Blue and Orange are 11-8 all-time in Game 3... San Diego has an all-time record of 57-30 in the playoffs, which includes a 21-15 mark on the road... Linglet had seven points (2g, 5a) and Talbot had six points (4g, 2a) in the series... Murphy has stopped 106 of 112 shots (.946 save percentage) in the first two games... Billy Tibbetts remains with the American Hockey League's Houston Aeros... Kevin Grant, Dennis Purdie and Jamie Black remain on the injured list...

The Gulls return to action in October for their second season in the ECHL. Season ticket packages for 2004-05 are currently available. For pricing and benefits, contact 619-224-4625 ext. 7. The final edition of the Gulls Internet Radio show, hosted by Tera Black and Jeremy Zager on wsRadio.com, will air live Monday, April 19 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. To view pictures from this season, visit www.sdgullsphotos.com and www.zerodogentertainment.com.

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ECHL Stories from April 10, 2004


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