Gulls - Ice Pilots Game Preview
Published on March 5, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
SERIES HISTORY: This is the first-ever meeting between the Gulls and Ice Pilots. The two teams will not face each other again in the regular season.
LAST GAME: FEB. 28 VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS The Gulls' struggles outside of their division continued as the Blue and Orange dropped a close one to the Stingrays, 5-4 in a shootout. South Carolina got two power-play goals from Curtis Huppe and Andy Powers netted the deciding score in the seventh round of the shootout. The Stingrays had a 4-3 lead late in the third period, but Sylvain Deschatelets tied it with 14 seconds left.
GULLS UPDATE: The Gulls (36-12-8) enter the day with the third-best overall record in the ECHL, six points behind the Wheeling Nailers and one point back of the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies... San Diego remains atop the Western Conference, tied with the Louisiana IceGators... The Blue and Orange only hold a two-point lead over the Las Vegas Wranglers for first place in the Pacific Division. The Gulls, however, have played four fewer games than Las Vegas... San Diego is 13-7-7 on the road this season... The Blue and Orange are unbeaten in 20 of their last 22 games (15-2-5) and 33 of their last 38 (27-5-6), outscoring their opponents 136-89...
OTHER NOTES: San Diego is 33-9-5 against Pacific Division teams, but just 3-3-3 outside of its division... The Gulls are 1-0-2 against non-Pacific Division teams on the road... San Diego was the first team to clinch a spot in the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs... Deschatelets is riding a career-high 10-game point streak. He has 47 points (12g, 35a) in his last 31 games... Mark Pederson, who missed the last game with a facial laceration, is expected to return to the lineup tonight. He leads the league with 37 goals and 16 power-play goals. Pederson has 44 points (26g, 18a) in his last 30 games... Greg Barber is second among league rookies with 60 points and 37 assists. He has 39 points (14g, 25a) in his last 26 games... Billy Tibbetts has nine points (5g, 4a) in his last five games...
PENSACOLA NOTES: The Ice Pilots (32-19-6) enter the day fourth in the Central Division, tied with the Columbus Cottonmouths for the final playoff spot... Pensacola, however, has two games in hand on Columbus and is only four points out of second place... Goaltender Brian Eklund has appeared in an ECHL-high 50 games this season and leads the league with 30 wins... Cory Neilson leads all defenseman with 63 points and is tied for third overall with 47 assists... The Ice Pilots have scored 12 short-handed goals this season, tied for second most in the league... Pensacola hosts Gwinnett on Tuesday before embarking on a six-game road trip...
TRANSACTIONS: Trevor Koenig was loaned to the American Hockey League's Cincinnati Mighty Ducks Thursday... Cincinnati assigned goaltender Eddy Ferhi in return... Goaltender Colin Zulianello was acquired Tuesday from the Long Beach Ice Dogs in exchange for fellow netminder David Burleigh... Dennis Purdie (shoulder) and Kevin (Grant) remain on the injured list... Josh Gratton remains with the AHL's Mighty Ducks...
FUTURE HEAD-TO-HEAD GAMES: Last Match-up of the regular season
ECHL Stories from March 5, 2004
- Steelheads lose 3-1 to Stingrays - Idaho Steelheads
- Sea Wolves Sink Everblades 3-1 - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Blades Drop 3-1 Decision in Mississippi - Florida Everblades
- IceGators Lose Lead, Game 5-3 - Louisiana IceGators
- Chiefs Fall to Wheeling 4-3 - Johnstown Chiefs
- Rivermen Push Past Toledo 5-2 at Home - Peoria Rivermen
- Checkers Jump Bombers 3-1 - Charlotte Checkers
- Pride end four-game home losing streak - Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz
- Falcons Trade Protsenko - Fresno Falcons
- Ice Dogs Team Up With Local School District - Long Beach Ice Dogs
- Rivermen Sign Rookie Left Wing Garett Cameron - Peoria Rivermen
- Condors "Splash Down" against Long Beach on Sunday - Bakersfield Condors
- Ice Dogs Sign Free Agent Forward from WHA2 - Long Beach Ice Dogs
- Bullies Acquire Toledo Leading Scorer Jacques - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- Gulls - Ice Pilots Game Preview - San Diego Gulls
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Royals Assigned Forward from Monarchs - Reading Royals
- Royals To Wear Penske Racing Jerseys Against Wheeling Saturday Night - Reading Royals
- Stanley Cup At Horton Plaza This Wednesday - San Diego Gulls
- Storm Trades Jacques - Toledo Walleye
- Goaltender Hamerlik Receives ECHL Honor - Reading Royals
- Attention Season Ticket Holders: Monday is the Deadline to Reserve Your Same Seats for the 2004 Kell - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- Gwinnett's Doell Named Sher-Wood ECHL Player of the Month - ECHL
- Today In The ECHL - ECHL
- Florida Acquires Patterson from Huntsville - Florida Everblades
- Doell named Player of the Month - Atlanta Gladiators
- ECHL Web Site Traffic Up Over 63 Percent - ECHL
- Dusablon Becomes 246th ECHL Player In NHL - ECHL
- Rivermen Acquire Defenseman Csumrik from Alaska - Peoria Rivermen
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.
