Fresno Stomps Gulls, 9-5

January 8, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


FRESNO, Calif. – The good news for the San Diego Gulls is that they'll get another shot at the Fresno Falcons Saturday on their home ice. But that's about it after Fresno routed San Diego, 9-5, Friday at Save Mart Center.

The Gulls (15-11-4) are now winless in a season-high five straight games (0-2-3) and fall eight points behind the first-place Bakersfield Condors. The Falcons (16-13-3) have now won four straight games and move one point ahead of San Diego and seven within Bakersfield.

It was a 1-1 game midway through the first period, but that's when Fresno took over. The Falcons scored twice more in the first, five times in the second and once more in the third as Dan Tessier finished off a hat trick.

Fresno grabbed an early 1-0 lead 3:33 into the first period on David Brisson's sixth goal of the season. Paul Falco started the play with a wrap-around attempt that Gulls goaltender Mathieu Chouinard stopped. Brisson, however, found the loose rebound and jammed it home.

Ian Forbes tied the game at 9:25 of the first, converting on a slap shot from the left point. It all happened after Curtis Brown cleanly won an end zone faceoff back to Forbes, who blasted it past Fresno netminder Jamie Hodson for his first marker of the year.

The Falcons scored two more times in the opening frame, taking a 3-1 lead and also chasing Chouinard from the game. Tessier, named to the ECHL All-Star team, tickled the twine at 12:44 and Derek Krestanovich lit the lamp at the 15:46 mark. It was both their 12th goal of the season and it ended Chouinard's night, as Eddy Ferhi entered in relief.

The bleeding continued for the Gulls early in the second, as John Wroblewski and Jason Weaver scored back-to-back goals to give Fresno a commanding 5-1 lead. Wroblewski's came short-handed at 2:55 and was assisted by Falco, his second helper of the night. Weaver's came on the power play at 7:16 after San Diego's Colin Shields inadvertently redirected his shot into the net.

Falco earned his third point of the night when he scored the Falcons' sixth goal of the night at 10:08. That came 20 seconds before San Diego's Nick Ganga got on the board with his second goal of the season, making it a 6-2 game.

Moments later Fresno was rewarded with a two-man advantage and Jan Sochor quickly obliged, notching his fifth goal at 11:35. Then Tessier netted the Falcons' second short-handed goal of the night at 13:57, his second marker of the game.

Mark Pederson scored a power-play goal at 17:18 of the second; his seventh goal of the year, after taking setup passes from Sylvain Deschatelets and Shields.

Brian Gornick made it an 8-4 game with his 11th goal 5:38 into the third period, connecting on another assist from Deschatelets, his second of the game. Scott Borders then made things a little more interesting when he netted his third of the season at 11:08, thanks to Brown's second helper of the night. Tessier, however, officially ended the comeback and game when he netted his hat trick goal at 19:45, good for his 14th marker of the season.

Notes: San Diego had eight regulars out of the lineup, which included five defensemen: Andrew Canzanello (bruised spleen), Nikita Korovkin (bruised spleen), Evgueni Nourislamov (sprained knee), Sean Murphy (broken thumb), Jonathon Shockey (separated shoulder), Trevor Koenig (sore elbow), Sean O'Connor (bruised ribs/sore back) and Guillaume Fournier (concussion-like symptoms)... Canzanello, who is expected to return Saturday, was named to the ECHL All-Star team Thursday... O'Connor, selected Friday as the ECHL Player of the Month for December, could return Saturday as well... Nourislamov could return Thursday... The Gulls have been outscored 26-15 during their five-game winless streak... Defenseman Justin Silver and right-winger Trent Clark were both signed Friday...

The Gulls and Falcons meet again Saturday at the Sports Arena, with game-time set for 7:05 p.m. It's Golf Night and the first 8,000 fans in attendance will receive special Gulls golf balls. For a $5 minimum donation, which will benefit the Asia Tsunami victims, fans can get a free Terrance ticket. Fans can also participate in a post-game autograph session for a donation of $10 or more. San Diego will play in Las Vegas Thursday and Long Beach Friday, Jan. 14 before returning home Saturday, Jan. 15 against the Louisiana IceGators.

All games can be heard live on KLSD 1360AM and www.sandiegogulls.com with Chris Ello calling the play-by-play. All home games and many road games can be viewed on the Gulls' web site, courtesy of B2 Networks. Click the B2 Networks link on the home page for a list of the upcoming telecasted games. To view pictures from this season, visit www.sdgullsphotos.com and www.zerodogentertainment.com.



ECHL Stories from January 8, 2005


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