Falcons Win In OT, Series is Tied 2-2
Published on May 3, 2003 under ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
FRESNO, Calif. - Colin Embley scored 13:54 into overtime lifting the Fresno Falcons to a 3-2 win over the San Diego Gulls Friday night, before a noisy 4,586 at Selland Arena. The Taylor Cup Finals best-of-seven series is now tied at two games apiece.
Rob Bonneau gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 19:16 of the first period. Drew Schoneck grabbed the puck at the point and slapped one in on Trevor Koenig. The San Diego netminder stopped it, but Bonneau picked up the rebound and tucked it in for his first goal of the night.
The Gulls tied things up at 5:37 of the second period on a power-play goal of their own. Clayton Read won an end zone faceoff back to Trevor Sherban, who wristed it past Terry Friesen for his second tally of the postseason.
Fresno quickly regained the one-goal advantage about two minutes later, thanks again to Bonneau. David Haas rushed in from the San Diego blue line and found a wide-open Bonneau, who redirected Haas' pin-point pass behind Koenig for his second goal of the game - fifth of the playoffs. San Diego had a couple of grade-A chances at the end of the second to knot the contest again. The best opportunity came from Mark Pederson, who unleashed a wicked slap shot from the slot that deflected off Friesen and squirted toward the net. Bonneau, however, was Johnny-on-the-spot once again and poked the puck away.
The Gulls kept firing away in the third period and finally beat Friesen at 10:01 on Kevin Grant's first postseason goal. Dean Tiltgen started the play with a nice breakout pass to Read streaking out to center ice. After Read gained the zone, Grant crashed the net and tipped home the centering feed, tying the game, 2-2.
In the overtime session, it was the Blue and Orange that controlled the attack, but a hot Friesen kept the game going. Then at the 13:54 mark Embley beat a screened Koenig with a low wrist shot. Notes: Pederson and Glen Gulutzan are still tied for the league lead with 11 playoff points... Tiltgen was back in action tonight after sitting out Game 3 with a groin injury. His four-game goal-scoring streak, however, was snapped Mike Garrow's five-game point streak also came to an end... Embley extended his point streak to five games... San Diego is 19-11 all-time in the Taylor Cup Finals... The Gulls are 12-9 all-time against Fresno in the playoffs (2-6 at Selland Arena)
Game 5 of the finals is slated for Saturday at Selland Arena, starting again at 7:30 p.m. The series will shift back to the San Diego Sports Arena for Game 6, scheduled for Saturday, May 10 at 7 p.m. If necessary, the Gulls will also host Game 7 on Sunday, May 11. All games can be heard live on AM1130-KSDO with Chris Ello calling the play-by-play. You can listen to the Gulls Internet Radio Show's archives anytime on wsradio.com, with Tera Black and Jeremy Zager hosting.
ECHL Stories from May 3, 2003
- Atlantic City Will Face Columbia Inferno in Kelly Cup Finals - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- Cyclones Season Comes to a Close - Cincinnati Cyclones
- All Along The Coast - ECHL
- Overtime Thriller Knots Series at Two - Fresno Falcons
- Falcons Win In OT, Series is Tied 2-2 - San Diego Gulls
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