Gulls - Steelheads Game Preview

Published on February 6, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


SAN DIEGO – There couldn't have been a more painful way for the Gulls' to end their winning streak than Wednesday's loss to the Idaho Steelheads in Boise. With just .7 seconds left to play, David Bararuk knocked home the game-winning goal, giving Idaho a 4-3 victory.

The Gulls, who had won nine straight games before Wednesday's loss, are now just four points ahead of the Steelheads and the Las Vegas Wranglers for first place in the Pacific Division. The Blue and Orange also fell one point behind the Louisiana IceGators and the Mississippi Sea Wolves for first place in the Western Conference.

Although the Gulls' winning streak was snapped against Idaho, Mark Pederson continues to roll, extending his ECHL season-high point-scoring streak to 19. The veteran left-winger has notched 31 points (19g, 12a) during the streak and was named the Sher-Wood ECHL Player of the Month for January. He leads the league in goals (30) and shooting percentage (.250) and ranks fifth in power-play goals (6) and tenth in points (52).

And as Pederson goes, so do his linemates, Greg Barber and Sylvain Deschatelets. The trio have set the tone for San Diego on offense, combining for 61 points (24g, 37a) in their last 14 games. Barber has notched a point in a career-high 12 consecutive contests, seven of which have been multipoint games. The Gulls' all-star has 23 points (9g, 14a) in his last 14 games and ranks second among all ECHL rookies with 44 points overall. Deschatelets, meanwhile, has 29 points (5g, 24a) in his last 19 games and leads the club with 31 helpers.

While the offense has been red-hot, you can't ignore the stingy goaltending of Trevor Koenig. The goalie enters the day with the second-most wins in the ECHL (22) and is eighth in the league with a 2.33 goals-against average. Koenig's stellar performance earned him both the ITECH HOCKEY ECHL Saver of the Week Award and the Sun National Bank ECHL Saver of the Month Award.

The Steelheads, who can close to within two points of first place with a win, have won only five of their last ten contests. Idaho is virtually unbeatable on their home ice this year, however, posting an impressive 16-4-2 mark at the Bank of America Centre.

In Wednesday's game, Idaho's backup goaltender, Kaleb Christenson, saw his first action of the season for the Steeleheads in relief of an injured Blair Allison, who left the game 14:05 of the second period. Christenson earned the win in only his second career professional contest.

Jan Kopecky leads the club with 19 goals and 36 points. Defenseman David Cornacchia, who's spent time with the American Hockey League's Utah Grizzlies this season, is second on the team with 20 points. No. 1 goaltender Blair Allison comes in with a 13-5-3 record and 2.45 GAA.

Idaho is 1-5 against San Diego this season, having been outscored 26-14. The two teams will clash three more times in the regular season, all in Boise, Idaho.

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ECHL Stories from February 6, 2004


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