Falcons clip Salmon fins

January 7, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Victoria Salmon Kings News Release


Victoria, BC - The Victoria Salmon Kings and Fresno Falcons played the final game of a three game series at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre tonight. The Falcons won the rubber match 6-2.

The Falcons opened the scoring while on the powerplay at 4:52. Goaltender Rob McVicar made the save off the first shot and the puck popped out into the slot area. John Wroblewski picked up the rebound and beat the goaltender high over the blocker arm.

Fresno then benefited from a puck that was caught up in the skates of the referee. The Salmon Kings ring-around popped off the officials steel right to the stick of Kelsey Muench who fed Fraser Clair in front. Clair beat a stunned McVicar and gave the Falcons the two goal lead at 7:35 of the first period.

With Falcons Forward JF Plourde in the penalty box Fresno won a face-off deep in the Salmon Kings zone and Shawn Mather batted a rebound over the shoulder of McVicar to extend the lead to 3-0.

Salmon Kings Captain Ryan Wade got one back for Victoria though, less than a minute later on the powerplay. Defenseman Steve Lingren rifled a shot off the iron and it deflected right onto the stick of Wade. Wade back-handed the puck passed Goaltender Jamie Holden from his back after getting cross-checked to the ice by the Falcons defense.

Fresno regained the three goal lead at 4-1 just 13 seconds later, when Wroblewski set up Derek Krestanovich in front of McVicar. Krestanovich beat the goalie with a one-timer, before McVicar could get set.

The score sheet was silent until 14:46 of the middle frame when Defenseman Steve Lingren sent fellow All-Star Forward Adam Taylor in on Holden short-handed. Taylor beat the goaltender on the breakaway, to break a ten game goalless streak, and pull the Salmon Kings within two.

The teams skated to the second intermission with the score 4-2 but that did not last long. Just 2:14 into the final period the Falcons won a face-off to the right of McVicar. Clair notched his second of the night from the top of the circle, as he sent a blast through a crowd in front and the goalie, to regain Fresno's three goal lead.

The Falcons closed the score sheet at 6-2 half-way through the third, when Mather recorded his second of the night off a juicy rebound in front of McVicar.

The Salmon Kings finished one for six on the powerplay while the Falcons converted one of their eight opportunities on the man advantage. Each team recorded a short-handed goal in Holden's fourth win of the season while McVicar has charged his sixth loss. The Falcons out-shot the Salmon Kings 39-37 in front of 4633 fans at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

The Salmon Kings travel to Boise, Idaho to face the Steelheads for a two game series beginning Friday January 13, 2006. Victoria's next home series is against West Division rival Phoenix Roadrunners, the Salmon Kings and Roadrunners face-off at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Friday January 27, 2006.

Tickets for all Salmon Kings home games are available from Select Your Tickets at the arena, online at www.selectyourtickets.com or by phone at 250-220-7777. To purchase Season, Half Season, Super Saturday's, Crazy Eight's, Mini-Packs and Group Ticket Packages please contact Devin Mazur at 250-220-7888 ext. 1.



ECHL Stories from January 7, 2006


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