Cunningham Rescues Gulls In Shootout, 2-1
Published on March 12, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
SAN DIEGO - Bobby Cunningham scored in the fourth round of a shootout, lifting the San Diego Gulls past the Fresno Falcons 2-1 Sunday night in front of 6,133 at ipayOne Center.
In the final regular season match-up between the two clubs, Pacific Division-leading Fresno (35-11-12) fell to 4-0-2 against San Diego (28-26-5) this season. The Gulls have now won eight of their last 11 and three straight at home.
Playing in just his second game since returning from a broken ankle, San Diego's Kelly Askew added one goal in regulation and another to open the shootout. Goaltender Tyler Weiman, meanwhile, made 29 saves for the Gulls, including six big stops during the five-minute overtime. He also stopped four of the five Falcons in the shootout and clinched the victory with a save against his older cousin, Shawn Weiman, in the fifth round.
Fresno remained undefeated in regulation against Pacific Division foes this season (18-0-5) while upping their record in one-goal games to 18-0-12.
In a potential preview of a first-round ECHL playoff series, the Falcons struck first with their high-powered line of Peter Fregoe, J.F. Plourde and Luke Curtin. This time, Fregoe got the goal - at 9:34 of the first period - to make it 1-0, assisted by Plourde and Curtin. In their six games against San Diego, the trio combined for 24 points (9g, 15a).
Askew tied the match on a quick wrist shot from the left-wing circle with 7:01 left in the second. Rookie Erik Cunningham picked up the lone assist on the score, giving him three points in four professional games since joined the Gulls on Wednesday.
That's how the contest went to the third period, when neither club could score, to send the match into OT.
In the middle frame, San Diego out-shot Fresno 18-6 but got only the one goal. For the match, the Gulls finished with 36 shots to the Falcons' 30, but Fresno All-Star goalie Brett Jaeger played well with 35 saves in the shootout loss.
Notes: San Diego hasn't allowed a power play goal in five straight games and has now killed 127 of 139 in its last 25 games overall (91.4 percent)... The Gulls finished the season series 2-2-2 against Fresno... If the season ended today, the two would meet in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs... Weiman has won four straight home decisions... Jaeger is now 4-0-2 against San Diego this season and 8-2-3 lifetime...
The Gulls now get set for a three-game series north of the border, as they'll take on the Victoria Salmon Kings. San Diego and Victoria clash Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, with all games starting at 7 p.m. 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. Click the B2 Networks (Watch the Game Live) link on the home page for a list of the upcoming viewable games. To view pictures from this season, visit www.zerodogentertainment.com.
ECHL Stories from March 12, 2006
- Falcons Defeated in Shootout - Fresno Falcons
- Alaska takes rubber match from Idaho, 4-1 - Alaska Aces
- Steelheads Held In Check, Fall to Aces, 4-1 - Idaho Steelheads
- Royals Blanked By Johnstown, 1-0 - Reading Royals
- Cunningham Rescues Gulls In Shootout, 2-1 - San Diego Gulls
- Lynx get shootout point against Ice Pilots - Augusta Lynx
- Checkers win 4-3 over Greenville - Charlotte Checkers
- Gladiators Come Back, Beat Stingrays, 4-3 in OT - Atlanta Gladiators
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Titans pelted by Storm, 4-3 - Trenton Devils
- San Diego Looks To Take Down The First-Place Falcons - San Diego Gulls
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Fast Start Leads Falcons to Victory - Fresno Falcons
- Snowden and McMahon returned - Greenville Grrrowl
- Reaching Into a Bag Of Tricks - Stockton Thunder
- Royals Defeat Dayton, 3-1 - Reading Royals
- Checkers lose to Gwinnett for second straight night 6-3 - Charlotte Checkers
- Aces rally past Steelheads, 3-1 - Alaska Aces
- Aces' Late Flurry Downs Steelheads, 3-1 - Idaho Steelheads
- Monych Hat Trick Does In Condors - Bakersfield Condors
- Ice Dogs Beat Rivals, Down Gulls 3-2 - Long Beach Ice Dogs
- Las Vegas rolls a three - Victoria Salmon Kings
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