Falcons Fail to Hold Another Lead
December 18, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fresno Falcons News Release
FRESNO, Calif. â Despite leading 3-1 midway through the third period the Fresno Falcons suffered two defensive lapses down the stretch and lost in a shootout Tuesday night at Selland Arena in front of 3,506, 4-3.
Neither team scored until Glen Gulutzan deflected a puck past Anchorage goaltender Ryan Person off a pass from Kirk DeWaele at 7:50 of the second period. The Aces' J. J. Wrobel would respond just 1:32 later, though, with his fourth of the season, and the teams remained tied at one as time ticked away in the frame. Gulutzan then found Mike Mathers out front who snuck a shot inside the far post for his seventh of the season with only 4.5 seconds left in the second.
Fresno added to their lead at 9:45 of the third when Ryan Duthie streaked up the right wing and cut toward the net, beating Person to the backhand for his second of the year. Again the Falcons could not hold the Aces off for long as Yvan Corbin brought Anchorage back to within one just 1:17 later. Defenseman Don Martin then waltzed in off a clean face-off win completely untouched to notch the equalizer with less than two minutes to go.
In the shootout two Aces were able to beat Fresno goaltender Mark Gowan while none of the four Falcons shooters scored on Person, delivering the 4-3 win to Anchorage.
By gaining just one shootout point to the Aces' two for the win, Fresno fell into a last place tie in the league with Anchorage with 19 points and a record of 8-10-3.
Fresno hits the road next when they visit the Long Beach Ice Dogs on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 20 and 21. Both games can be heard live on 103.1, The Mountain Cat, beginning at 6:50 p.m. with the Mail Boxes, Etc. Pre-game Show.
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