Costly Penalties Sink Falcons' Comeback
February 26, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fresno Falcons News Release
FRESNO, Calif. â The Fresno Falcons' Michael Kiesman had scored two straight goals to pull within a 3-2 margin of the San Diego Gulls on Wednesday, but three ill-advised penalties in the final half of the third period led to two San Diego power play goals as the visitors defeated Fresno, 5-2, at Save Mart Center.
The Gulls, looking to avenge a 5-3 loss to the Falcons on Saturday that snapped their league season-high 14-game home winning streak, opened the scoring at 16:33 of the first when Chris Gobert found Sandro Sbrocca for the latter's fifth of the year.
San Diego added to their lead early in the second when Sylvain Deschatelets one-timed a blast by Fresno goaltender Terry Friesen at 1:49. Billy Tibbetts then helped his club open up a 3-0 advantage with a short-handed goal at 8:55, a league-high 14th that the Falcons have yielded this season.
Fresno clawed their way back into the hockey game thanks to Kiesman, though. At 13:57 of the second he beat San Diego goaltender Trevor Koenig to the upper right hand corner. At 5:57 of the third he then corralled a rebound off a shot by Jason Weaver and deked around Koenig's left pad from tight quarters for his 13th of the season, which tied him with Weaver for the team 's goal scoring lead.
Mid-way through the third, the Falcons were whistled for too many men on the ice still trailing by just a goal. The Gulls' second-ranked power play converted off a blast by Tibbetts at 11:27 to restore a two-goal edge. The Falcons' Weaver and Blair Clarance then took a pair of slashing penalties, and San Diego iced the victory with a five-on-three power play goal off a one-timer by Mark Pederson, who notched his league-leading 37th of the campaign at 14:24.
Fresno drops to 15-32-6 on the year and 2-3-0 against the Pacific Division-leading Gulls.
The Falcons next take the ice on Friday, when they host the Bakersfield Condors at Save Mart Center at 7 p.m. The ZOOperstars will entertain during both period intermissions, featuring such characters as Shaquille O'Seal, Mia Hammster and Mario Lemule. The arena's balcony will also be open in an effort to raise funds for The Chaffee Zoo, with the Fresno Zoological Society receiving $5 from every $10 balcony seat sold.
Tickets to the game can be purchased directly at Save Mart Center's Box Office and all Ticketmaster outlets, which include select Save Mart Supermarkets, Tower Records, Wherehouse Music and Ritmo Latino locations, charged by phone at 485-TIXS or bought online by clicking the Ticketmaster icon throughout www.fresnofalcons.com.
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