Falcons Win the Taylor Cup

May 25, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fresno Falcons News Release


BOISE, Idaho – The longest game in Fresno Falcons history was definitely the sweetest. Kris Porter scored the game-winning goal 4:23 into the second overtime period lifting the Falcons to a 3-2 victory over the Idaho Steelheads in Game Six of the Taylor Cup Finals for their first ever Taylor Cup Championship. Fresno concluded an amazing season, one in which they started 8-24-2, by winning the best-of-seven series four games to two.

Dale Junkin wasted no time giving the Falcons the lead when Porter found him less than two minutes into the opening frame for his sixth goal of the post-season and the early 1-0 lead. The Steelheads came roaring back less than two minutes later when Dan Shermerhorn found teammate Scott Swanson, who ripped a slap shot past goaltender Terry Friesen to tie the game at one. The two teams skated to nearly 12 minutes of scoreless hockey before Fresno' s Joe Frederick found Jason Weaver in front of the Idaho cage where he hammered the puck past Idaho netminder Blair Allison for the 2-1 lead. The lead however wouldn't last long as just 13 seconds later Eric Rud ripped a wrister up and over Friesen's shoulder to once again tie the game.

Rud's goal proved to be the final goal in regulation as both teams failed to put anything up on the scoreboard in the final 44:09 of regulation. The Falcons had plenty of chances to put the Steelheads away in regulation, but Allison stood firm, stopping all 12 of the Falcons shots in the third period. Friesen was equally impressive for the Falcons, making 15 saves over the final two periods to keep the game deadlocked at two.

Neither team was able to strike in the first overtime, sending the game to a second overtime period. The Steelheads had two golden opportunities with a pair of power plays in the first extra frame, but the Falcons were able to kill them both off to keep the game knotted at 2-2. Then in the second overtime, Porter and teammate Mike Mathers broke out for a two-on-one breakaway and after Allison stopped the first shot, Porter kept battling for the puck, finally putting it in the back of the net for the game-winner. Porter finished the 2002 Taylor Cup Playoffs as the league's leading scorer with 18 points (6g-12a) as he was named the Taylor Cup Playoffs MVP. Friesen finished the game with 46 saves while the Falcons killed off all four of the Steelheads power play opportunities, including two in overtime.

Game One at Idaho Friday, May 10 Falcons 5, Steelheads 2
Game Two at Idaho Saturday, May 11 Falcons 5, Steelheads 4
Game Three at Fresno Wednesday, May 15 Steelheads 4, Falcons 2
Game Four at Fresno Thursday, May 16 Steelheads 4, Falcons 3 (OT)
Game Five at Fresno Sunday, May 19 Falcons 2, Steelheads 1
Game Six at Idaho Friday, May 24 Falcons 3, Steelheads 2 (2OT)



ECHL Stories from May 25, 2002


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