Aces Top Gulls In Shootout, 4-3

Published on January 12, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Jordan Cameron scored the decisive goal in the eighth round of the shootout, leading the Alaska Aces to a 4-3 win over the San Diego Gulls Sunday night at Sullivan Arena.

Alaska had plenty of chances to win the game in regulation and overtime, but Trevor Koenig's sensational goaltending kept the Gulls in the game. The San Diego netminder stopped 42 of 45 shots through the first three periods and overtime, then another five in the shootout, but it wasn't enough.

The Gulls (21-9-3) grabbed three of a possible six points this weekend against the Aces and remain fourth in the Pacific Division, now five points back of the front-running Idaho Steelheads. The Aces (22-10-3) picked up four points this weekend and are now tied with the Las Vegas Wranglers for second place, three points behind Idaho. San Diego, however, has played four fewer games than Idaho and Las Vegas and still has two games in hand on Alaska.

Chris Lipsett opened the scoring 14:30 into the first with his 11th goal of the season. After an end zone faceoff in the Gulls zone the puck squirted behind the net. Mark Smith picked it up and fed a pass to a wide-open Lipsett, who beat a screened Koenig.

Moments later San Diego was awarded a two-man advantage and capitalized as Mark Pederson put one past Dan Murphy at 16:50, marking the eighth straight game he's found the back of the net. Sylvain Deschatelets got the original shot that Murphy steered aside. The rebound bounced to Pederson standing at the bottom of the right circle and he roofed it just under the crossbar.

It was Pederson's team-leading 21st goal, which is tied for third in the ECHL. He also has a league-best 11 power-play goals. The veteran left-winger is now tied with Mark Woolf for the longest goal-scoring streak in franchise history. Woolf scored in eight straight games during the 2001-02 season.

Pederson then assisted on Greg Barber's tally 1:21 into the second, giving the Gulls a 2-1 lead. Barber took Pederson's feed, shook off a check, skated around Murphy and put home a backhander for his 11th goal of the year. Deschatelets also earned an assist, his second of the night.

The Aces tied it at 5:56 of the second on Joe Talbot's first goal of the night. San Diego had a chance to clear the zone, but couldn't and Alaska took advantage. Charles Linglet grabbed possession and fired a shot that caromed off a leg right to Talbot, who jammed it in.

Alaska had numerous chances to regain the lead later in the second, but Koenig kept the door closed. The Gulls, who were out-shot 25-9 in the middle frame, skated out with a 3-2 lead.

Josh Gratton got the goal – his fourth – at 16:06, but Clayton Read made the play happen. Read took the puck at center ice and weaved his way all the way into the Aces zone. He finally sent one toward the net that rebounded right to Gratton, who banged it home.

Talbot deadlocked the game again with his second of the night – 17th of the season – 13:28 into the third. A Gulls penalty just expired, but the Aces kept the puck in the San Diego zone. It eventually came to Talbot in the slot, where he rocketed it past Koenig.

That's how it would stay through regulation and overtime and we headed to a shootout. Murphy stopped six of eight San Diego shooters while Koenig turned aside five of eight Alaska shooters. The shootout was tied until Cameron won the game in the eighth round.

Notes: Pederson has 15 points (10g, 5a) in the last seven games... The ECHL record for longest goal-scoring streak is 16 games... San Diego is unbeaten in 13 of its last 15 games (12-2-1) and six of seven on the road (5-1-1)... The Gulls are 17-3-2 in their last 22 games against Pacific Division teams... They've outscored their opponents 54-32 in the last 15 games... San Diego has killed 90 of its last 96 penalties... San Diego is 3-3-1 against Alaska this season, including a 1-3-1 mark at Sullivan Arena... Billy Tibbetts remains with the American Hockey League's Springfield Falcons... Dean Tiltgen remains on the injured list...

The Gulls conclude their road trip Friday in Fresno, with game time from Save Mart Center set for 7 p.m. San Diego hosts the Aces Saturday at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday at 5:05 p.m. Floppy hats, courtesy of your San Diego County Toyota Dealers, will be given to the first 5,000 fans on Saturday. "Skate with the Gulls" will be held immediately after Sunday's game. All games can be heard live on KPOP 1360AM with Chris Ello calling the play-by-play. The Gulls Internet radio show, hosted by Tera Black and Jeremy Zager on wsradio.com, will begin airing live every other Monday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., starting Jan. 19.

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ECHL Stories from January 12, 2004


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