Game Preview - Vs. Alaska

Published on November 3, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Gulls look move over the .500 mark for the first time this season as they welcome NHL star Scott Gomez and the Alaska Aces.

SERIES HISTORY:

The Gulls and Aces have met three times so far this season with Alaska holding a 2-1-0 series edge. The two teams will meet six more times during the regular season. San Diego and Alaska met 10 times last season with the Gulls holding a 6-3-1 edge. The Aces eliminated the Gulls in a three-game sweep during last season's Kelly Cup Playoffs.

2004-05 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES:
10/29/04 San Diego 2 @ Alaska 3 (Shootout)
10/30/04 San Diego 1 @ Alaska 4
10/31/04 San Diego 5 @ Alaska 5

San Diego owns the all-time series match-up, posting a 64-18-6 record against its West Division rival. The Gulls are 36-3-1 all-time against the Aces at the Sports Arena.

LAST HEAD-TO-HEAD MEETING (OCT. 31 @ ALASKA):

After falling in a shootout Friday and in regulation on Saturday, the Gulls came back Sunday to salvage the final game, 5-2, of the three-game weekend series. San Diego trailed 1-0 early before netting five straight. Darren Clark led the way for the Blue and Orange with two goals, both coming in the third period. Billy Tibbetts chipped in with a goal and an assist, while Evgueni Nourislamov and Brian Gornick also tallied for the Gulls. Trevor Koenig had his third straight solid outing in net, turning aside 42 of 44 shots.

GULLS UPDATE:

The Gulls (2-2-1) enter the day third in the West Division, three points behind the Bakersfield Condors and Idaho Steelheads. Bakersfield and Idaho are tied atop the division with eight points apiece... San Diego is 1-4-1 in its last six games against Alaska, dating back to last season's playoffs... The Blue and Orange, however, won all five regular season home games against the Aces last season... During their three-game series in Anchorage last weekend, the Gulls held the Aces scoreless on the power play, killing all 17 chances... San Diego has killed 20 straight penalties, dating back to its home opener on Oct. 23... After hosting Florida tomorrow the Gulls will play three straight games against Bakersfield...

OTHER NOTES:

Both Tibbetts and Clark are in the midst of four-game point streaks... Clark leads the club with seven points, five of which came last weekend in Anchorage... Tibbetts leads the team with four goals, scoring one in each of the last four games... Koenig is 2-0-1 with a 1.95 goals-against average and .942 save percentage. He has allowed two goals in each of his three starts so far this season... Guillaume Fournier, who netted a hat trick Oct. 23 vs. Fresno, is tied for second among all ECHL rookies with six points...

ALASKA UPDATE:

Alaska (2-4-0) begins the day fifth in the West Division, four points behind the Condors and Steelheads... The Aces have dropped two straight, including last night's 5-2 loss in Bakersfield... Alaska is only 2 for 37 on the power play this season (5.4 percent), third worst among the 28 ECHL teams... Scott Gomez has been held scoreless the last two games after notching three assists in his first two games... Gomez's father grew up in San Diego and went to Mission Bay High School... Rookie defenseman Mike Clarke leads the team with four points (all assists)...

TRANSACTIONS:

Stephane St. Amour, younger brother of Martin St. Amour, signed today... Sean Murphy was activated from injured reserve on Friday... Nick Ganga was signed on Friday... Sean O'Connor remains with the American Hockey League's Cincinnati Mighty Ducks... Sylvain Deschatelets, still recovering from offseason wrist surgery, remains on the injured list...

FUTURE HEAD-TO-HEAD MEETINGS:
Thursday, Dec. 9 vs. Alaska (7:05 PST)
Saturday, Dec. 11 vs. Alaska (7:05 PST)
Sunday, Dec. 12 vs. Alaska (5:05 PST)
Wednesday, Dec. 29 @ Alaska (8:15 PST)
Friday, Dec. 31 @ Alaska (8:15 PST)
Sunday, March 13 vs. Alaska (5:05 PST)

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from November 3, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central