Fresno Outlasts Gulls In Shootout, 4-3

November 12, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


FRESNO, Calif. - John Wroblewski's goal in the ninth round of a shootout lifted the Fresno Falcons to a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Gulls in a seesaw battle Saturday night at Save Mart Center.

Even with the setback, San Diego (2-5-2) picks up a point for the third straight game. Fresno (7-3-1) breaks a two-game losing streak and maintains its Pacific Division lead.

Teams skated to a scoreless first period, but Fresno capitalized on a two-man advantage 1:52 into the second and grabbed a 1-0 lead. Club point leader Luke Curtin got the tally, blasting a slapper from the blue line past Gulls netminder Tom Lawson.

San Diego tied it at 11:03 of the second on a Pierre-Luc Sleigher power-play goal. The marker came at the tail end of four straight Gulls power plays, two of which were long five-on-three advantages. It looked as if the Falcons were going to kill off all the penalties, but got burned late on San Diego's fourth chance.

Grady Moore's original shot from the point was saved by Fresno goaltender Brett Jaeger... so was Guillaume Fournier's rebound bid. Sleigher, however, got his stick on the second rebound and banged it home. It was his third goal of the season.

The affectionately known "French Fry" line of Sleigher, Fournier and Martin Mandeville connected again on the power play at the 14:51 mark of the middle frame, giving the Gulls a 2-1 cushion. After getting a pass from Sleigher, Fournier circled out of the left wing corner and rang a shot off the crossbar. Mandeville was right there though, and slid in his second goal of the year.

Fresno capped the second-period scoring and made it a 2-2 game at 18:46, as Brett Hammond notched his fifth goal. Lawson made a great save on Shawn Mather's initial shot, but Hammond knocked in the rebound.

Mather gave the Falcons a 3-2 lead 8:39 into the third with another power-play goal. J.F. Plourde grabbed the puck from Curtin and centered it to Mather, who put it in for his sixth goal of the season.

But back came the Gulls at 10:47, as a lucky bounce re-tied the game at three apiece. Jesse Bennefield skated into the right wing corner and, with his back facing the net, centered a pass up the middle. The puck, however, took a couple funny bounces and eventually floated over Jaeger's shoulder and across the goal line. Bennefield got credit for the goal, his second.

Both teams failed on a power play chance in overtime, so the game headed to a shootout. In nine shootout rounds, the Gulls received scores from Richard Keyes, Frantisek Skladany and Steve Hildenbrand. Plourde, Hammond, Shawn Weiman and Wroblewski (the clincher) lit the lamp for Fresno.

Notes: Head coach Martin St. Amour, visiting his ill mother, was not at the game. He is expected to be back behind the bench Sunday... Former Gulls captain B.J. MacPherson shared coaching duties with Jamie Black... The Gulls have scored six power-play goals in the last three games, but have allowed eight power-play markers in that span (and 15 in the last six games)... San Diego will play nine of its next 11 games at home... Cody McLeod was returned by the American Hockey League's Lowell Lock Monsters Thursday... Defenseman Tomas Slovak was recalled to Lowell Saturday... Doug MacIver served the fourth of a five-game suspension. Rookie goaltender Aaron McKenzie and forward David Svagrovsky both remain on the injured list...

The Gulls will bus all night back to San Diego and get set to host the Phoenix Roadrunners Sunday at 5:05 p.m. It will be the first Kids Night and "Skate with the Gulls" will immediately follow the game. The Blue and Orange have a trio of games slated for next week (Thursday in Bakersfield, Friday vs. Bakersfield and Saturday, Nov. 19 at Fresno).

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 (All four upcoming games CAN BE VIEWED). Click the B2 Networks (Watch the Game Live) link on the home page for a list of the upcoming telecasted games. To view pictures from this season, visit www.zerodogentertainment.com.



ECHL Stories from November 12, 2005


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