Gulls Back In Win Column; Beat Utah 4-3

December 10, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah - Alex Kim scored a goal and added two assists, while the Gulls killed nine Utah power plays en route to San Diego's 4-3 victory over the Grizzlies Saturday night at The E-Center. It was the first-ever match-up between the two clubs.

Grady Moore chipped in with two assists and Jesse Bennefield, newcomer Patrick Levesque and Pierre-Luc Sleigher also scored for the Gulls (9-8-4), who jumped back into a second place tie with Long Beach in the Pacific Division. Utah (13-8-1) drops to fourth in the West Division, two points back of Idaho.

The Gulls struggled to get off to good starts in their previous two games, dropping a shootout affair Sunday against Johnstown before falling in regulation Friday vs. Phoenix. Saturday, however, was a different story.

Bennefield and Levesque scored back-to-back goals in the first period, leading San Diego to a quick 2-0 lead. Bennefield's came on a two-man advantage 7:02 into the first period, knocking a rebound past Utah goaltender Alfie Michaud. The red-hot due of Richard Keyes and Steve Hildenbrand earned assists on the tally, Bennefield's sixth of the season.

Levesque, who signed earlier in the day and barely had a chance to meet his new teammates, lit the lamp next at 12:14. Moore, anchoring the blue line, took a pass from Kim and unleashed a low shot that Levesque redirected home.

Ryan Kinasewich got the Grizzlies on the board 1:06 into the second period, cutting San Diego's lead in half at 2-1. The Utah winger grabbed the loose puck at the left post and slipped in a backhander behind Tyler Weiman for his fifth marker.

Utah, which entered the day with the league's third-best power play, had five chances with the man advantage during the middle frame, but couldn't convert. San Diego was awarded a late second-period power play, however, and cashed in to regain its two-goal cushion. Sleigher was the beneficiary, flipping in a shot just underneath the crossbar. It was Sleigher's fifth goal and was also assisted by Kim and Moore, their second helpers of the night.

Colt King, recently acquired from Augusta, got the Grizzlies back within one 1:43 into the third period, putting home a rebound off Matt Craig's initial shot for his fifth goal - first with Utah. Kim, however, answered for the Gulls 97 seconds later with his sixth goal of the season and third point of the night. His tally also came via a rebound right in front of the net.

After failing on their first nine power play chances, the Grizzlies finally scored on the man advantage with 22.8 seconds left, making it a 4-3 game. Jeff Miles got the goal, his eighth of the season, with setup feeds coming from Louis Dumont and Kinasewich.

But it was too little too late for Utah, as Weiman and company held on from there. The Gulls netminder finished with 32 saves, upping his record to 3-7-2.



ECHL Stories from December 10, 2005


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