Alaska Doubles-Up Gulls, 4-2
January 4, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
SAN DIEGO - It's tough to say "home sweet home" for the San Diego Gulls when you're hosting a team that has one regulation loss in its last 17 games. That's how hot the Alaska Aces are and their sizzling play continued after beating the Gulls 4-2 Wednesday night at the ipayOne Center.
Alaska (22-4-3) scored twice on the power play and added a short-handed marker, improving to 16-1-1 over its last 18 games. San Diego (13-12-4) snaps its modest two-game winning streak and remains one point behind the idle Long Beach Ice Dogs for second place in the Pacific Division.
The Aces drew first blood with a power-play goal 11:36 into the first period. Ryan Ramsay grabbed a cross-ice pass from Alex Leavitt and quickly tapped it to an open Joe Talbot, who beat Gulls goaltender Tom Lawson for his third goal of the season.
Alex Kim quickly tied it 53 seconds later with his 12th goal, extending his point streak to 10 games. After digging the puck out of the corner, Pierre-Luc Sleigher pushed it to Jesse Bennefield. Kim, skating through the slot, then took Bennefield's pass and beat Alaska netminder Matt Underhill on the backhand.
But Alaska came right back with another power-play marker, this time capitalizing on a two-man advantage. Mike Scott and Peter Metcalf, both stationed at the top of the circles, were playing catch with the puck before Scott finally blasted home his 10th goal.
San Diego re-tied it with a power-play goal of its own 1:13 into the second period. Bennefield set it up again, this time finding an open Richard Keyes right between the hash marks. Keyes took the ensuing feed and punched it past Underhill for his 10th tally of the year.
The high-powered Aces, however, kept coming and scored two more later in the middle frame to grab a 4-2 lead. Olivier Fillion notched his seventh goal at the 7:02 mark, wristing one in from the left circle. Then Vladimir Nowak, on a great individual fore-checking effort, notched a short-hander at 9:49, his second goal overall.
The Gulls held a 9-7 shot advantage in the third period, but couldn't get any closer. Underhill finished with 23 saves, upping his record to 13-4-1. Lawson, who had to leave for the last 3:15 of the second period while tending to a leg bruise, stopped 24 shots and is now 7-4-2.
Notes: Kim has 18 points during his 10-game point streak (8g, 10a). He also had a 10-game point streak in 2003-04 while playing for the Long Beach Ice Dogs... Bennefield has 18 points (9g, 9a) in the last 11 games... San Diego has killed 29 of its last 32 penalties, dating back to Thursday against Idaho... Tyler Weiman, who relieved Lawson for the last 3:15 of the second period, was named a runner-up for ECHL Goaltender of the Week honors... Cody McLeod was recalled by Lowell Tuesday... David Svagrovsky (tear in finger) joins Guillaume Fournier (concussion), Martin Mandeville (concussion), Doug MacIver (sprained knee) and Andy Thompson (wrist surgery) on the injured list... Jason Courtemanche and Justin Silver were signed Wednesday...
The Gulls continue their homestand Friday against the Idaho Steelheads, with game-time scheduled for 7:35 p.m. It will be Gulls Girls Night, as past and present Gulls Girls will be honored. Saturday the Utah Grizzlies will make their first-ever visit and it will be "Redneck Night," with the first 5,000 fans receiving a special Trucker Hat, courtesy of Casino Pauma. The Gulls will host the Aces again on Sunday and it will be another Kids Night, with "Skate with the Gulls" immediately after the game.
All games can be heard on KLSD 1360AM and www.sandiegogulls.com with Chris Ello calling the play-by-play. Most games can also be viewed on the Gulls' Web site, courtesy of B2 Networks (All upcoming games CAN BE VIEWED). Click the B2 Networks (Watch the Game Live) link on the home page for a list of the upcoming telecasted games. To view pictures from this season, visit www.zerodogentertainment.com.
ECHL Stories from January 4, 2006
- Alaska Doubles-Up Gulls, 4-2 - San Diego Gulls
- Aces win in San Diego, 4-2 - Alaska Aces
- Checkers' fast start, strong finish downs Columbia, 5-2 - Charlotte Checkers
- King James Crowned as First Condor in NHL - Bakersfield Condors
- Thunder Swoops Up Steve L'Ecuyer - Stockton Thunder
- Backpack Giveaway This Saturday Versus Alaska - Bakersfield Condors
- Royals' Coach Karl Taylor To Lead American Conference All-Stars - Reading Royals
- Bakersfield's McHugh Fined, Suspended Three Games - ECHL
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Steelheads' Zion heading to Europe - Idaho Steelheads
- Fresno's Murphy Fined, Suspended Two Games - ECHL
- ECHL Honors Utah's Kinasewich - Utah Grizzlies
- Weiman Named Runner-Up For Goalie Of The Week Honors - San Diego Gulls
- Grizzlies' Kinasewich Named In Glas Co ECHL Player Of The Week - ECHL
- Phoenix's Henley Fined, Suspended Two Games - ECHL
- Pensacola's Later Fined, Suspended One Game - ECHL
- Pyle Named ECHL All Star Coach for third Consecutive Year - Atlanta Gladiators
- Fields named ECHL Goalie of the Week for December 26th through 31st - Atlanta Gladiators
- San Diego Opens Homestand Against Red-Hot Aces - San Diego Gulls
- Wranglers' All-Star Hambly heading back to Omaha - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Payne officially named All-Star Coach, Beckford-Tseu returns - Alaska Aces
- Stingrays Grab Andersson From Stockton - South Carolina Stingrays
- RoadRunners' Pecker Inks Contract With Binghamton - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Payne, Gulutzan Are National Conference Coaches, Taylor, Pyle Will Coach American Conference - ECHL
- Wranglers' Gulutzan to coach All-Star Team - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Gladiators' Fields Named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender Of The Week - ECHL
- Bombers Add Forward - Dayton Bombers
- ECHL Game of the Week - ECHL
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Ice Pilots Lose to Florida - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Checkers Remain Undefeated Against Stingrays - Charlotte Checkers
- Royals Western Swing Goes Perfect - Reading Royals
- Royals End Wranglers' Home Streak - Las Vegas Wranglers
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