Condors Double Up Gulls, 4-2

March 21, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


BAKERSFIELD, Calif. –– Jamie Cooke and Paul Rosebush scored 1:07 apart late in the third period to life the Bakersfield Condors to a crucial 4-2 win over the San Diego Gulls Friday night, before 5,917 at Centennial Garden.

With the win, Bakersfield (37-20-9) draws within one point of San Diego for second place in the West Coast Hockey League. The Gulls (40-19-4) still have three games in hand on the Condors, who only have six games left.

The game was tied, 2-2 heading into the third period, but the Condors put on a ferocious offensive attack in the final frame, which overmatched the Blue and Orange. With 5:47 remaining in regulation Cooke buried his 28th marker and before you knew it, Rosebush tickled the twine for his second of the game – 21rst of the season – to put the game away.

Bakersfield came out like a team on a mission and jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 7:06 on David Bell's third goal of the season. Guy Dupuis fired a shot from the blue line that Paul Willett redirected off the post. The rebound bounced past Trevor Koenig right to Bell, who banged it in. The Condors out-shot the Gulls 6-1 in the first half of the opening period, most of those coming on grade-A opportunities.

San Diego, however, weathered the Bakersfield onslaught and tied it at 10:48 on a highlight goal by Dennis Purdie – his seventh of the season. Dean Tiltgen fed Purdie, who weaved around two Bakersfield defenders and snapped a wrist shot past Kevin St. Pierre. Then Sylvain Deschatelets scored his 21st at 19:07, putting the Gulls up 2-1. Deschatelets took a pass from Purdie, deked around Jonathon Sorg and roofed a backhander over St. Pierre's shoulder.

Rosebush knotted the game at two with his first of the night five minutes into the second period, extending his goal-scoring streak to six games. After gathering a feed from Jason Jackman, Rosebush skated into the zone and beat a screened Koenig over his blocker.

On Cooke's game-winner at 14:13 of the third, Willet controlled the puck behind the net and found him wide open in front of Koenig. Jason Ralph penetrated the San Diego defense and made a nifty pass to Rosebush, who tipped in the insurance marker at 15:20.

Notes: San Diego is 32-93 since starting the season 8-10-1... Koenig still needs four more wins for 100 in his Gulls career... Gulls leading scorer Mark Pederson remains out with a groin injury. He's expected to be out for at least another week... Samy Nasreddine, who missed the last 23 games with a back injury, returned to the lineup tonight. Mike Garrow, who's been out the last 12 games, and Tiltgen, who missed six of the last seven contests, also returned to the lineup... Kevin Grant remains on injured reserve... Marc Busenburg and Rob Voltera remain with the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears... Martin St Amour served the sixth of his seven-game suspension tonight...

San Diego concludes its road trip tomorrow in Fresno, with game-time from Selland Arena set for 7:30 p.m. The Gulls return home Sunday to face the Anchorage Aces at 5 p.m. It will be the fifth of six "McDonald's Nights" with "Skate with the Gulls" held immediately following the game. Kids jerseys will be given to the first 2,000 fans ages 14 and under. All games can be heard live on 1130AM-KSDO with Chris Ello calling the play-by-play. The Gulls' Internet radio show broadcasts live every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on wsradio.com with Tera Black and Jeremy Zager hosting.



ECHL Stories from March 21, 2003


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