Gulls - Condors Game Preview
Published on November 21, 2003 under ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - With a win tonight against the Bakersfield Condors, the San Diego Gulls can leapfrog from sixth to fourth place in the Pacific Division Standings.
The Gulls enter the day sixth in the Pacific Division, nine points out of first, but only six points out of second. If they win in regulation, the Gulls can jump over both Bakersfield and the Fresno Falcons, who host the Long Beach Ice Dogs tonight.
San Diego is coming off a 4-3 victory against Fresno Wednesday night at the Sports Arena. Clayton Read led the way with three points while Dennis Purdie added a pair of goals. Purdie is one point away from 500 in his pro career.
It was only the third time this year the Gulls have scored four-or-more goals. Prior to Wednesday, they combined to score five goals in their last five games. San Diego has scored one or no goals in six of its 11 games this season.
The Gulls, who average the third most penalties in the ECHL, have done a better job penalty killing of late. In the last four games San Diego has allowed only one power-play goal on 16 chances.
The Condors enter action tied for fourth in the Pacific Division with Fresno, both one point ahead of the Gulls. The Condors are eight points behind the front-running Las Vegas Wranglers.
Bakersfield is coming off a 5-2 win against Long Beach Wednesday night at Centennial Garden. Kevin Riehl and Jason Ralph each had a goal and an assist, while Jimmy Drolet finished with two helpers.
The Condors, in the midst of a seven-game homestand, has won four of their last five games. They have two more games on their homestand - tonight vs. the Gulls and tomorrow against Fresno.
Goaltending has been Bakersfield's biggest strength thus far. Peter Hirsch and Joe Watkins have combined for a 2.55 goals-against average, seventh best in the ECHL. Watkins is 10th overall in the league with a stingy 2.14 GAA.
This is the fourth meeting of the year between these two former West Coast Hockey League rivals, with the Gulls holding an early 2-1 edge. Teams have combined for only nine goals in the three previous meetings. San Diego holds the all-time head-to-head match-up with a 78-16-5 mark.
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