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Gulls Fall To Alaska in Game 1, 4-2

April 7, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


SAN DIEGO – The Gulls were dominant at home in the regular season. The playoffs are a whole new game, however, and San Diego found that out the hard way Tuesday in Game 1 of the Pacific Division Semifinals. The Alaska Aces jumped out to an early four-goal lead and rode goaltender Dan Murphy the rest of way, defeating the Blue and Orange, 4-2, and taking a 1-0 series lead.

Joe Talbot led the offensive attack for the fourth-seeded Aces with two goals, while Jordan Cameron and Bret DeCecco also tallied for Alaska – all in the first period. Murphy then took over, single-handedly shutting down a frustrated Gulls team, who finished the regular season with the best overall record in the ECHL.

Everything fell apart for the Gulls early as the Aces exploded to a 4-0 first-period lead. Cameron got things started for Alaska just 1:42 into the game before Talbot lit the lamp at 9:12 for his first of the night. DeCecco notched one at 11:59 before Talbot knocked in his second of the period at 15:11.

Cameron's goal came on a setup feed from Jonathan Gauthier out of the left wing corner. Gauthier grabbed possession and flicked a centering pass to Mike Lee in the slot. Lee then kicked it to Gauthier, who wristed it past Trevor Koenig. Talbot notched his first goal, batting in a rebound off Kimbi Daniels' shot from the left wing circle. DeCecco continued the onslaught when he tapped in Garret Prosofsky's slap shot from the left boards. Talbot then buried his second marker, backhanding home a centering pass from Charles Linglet.

San Diego woke up in the second period and came out firing, out-shooting the Aces 22-1 in the frame. After countless chances, Chris Gobert finally dented the scoreboard when he beat Murphy at 13:33. Gobert stole the puck from Prosofsky at the Alaska blue line and fired a shot that Murphy turned away. He pounced on his own rebound though and roofed another slap shot from the high slot.

Murphy, however, was the story in the second period, retaining a comfortable lead for the Aces. While his teammates lost their scoring punch from the first period, the Gulls found theirs. San Diego could've easily had at least two or three more goals, but Murphy stayed rock-solid and the Aces headed to the third with a 4-1 lead.

The Gulls kept up the offensive pressure in the third and were rewarded at 9:39 on Nick Lent's first goal in a San Diego uniform. Igor Pohanka fed Scott Kirton right in front of Murphy, but Kirton couldn't get in a shooting position. Instead he whipped it back to Lent, who blasted it past the out-stretched Alaska netminder.

The comeback bid would end there though, as the first-period deficit was just too much to overcome for the Blue and Orange. Murphy finished the game with 38 saves, while Koenig stopped 13 in a losing effort.

Notes: San Diego has an all-time record of 57-28 in the playoffs, which includes eight seasons in the West Coast Hockey League... The Gulls are 4-1 all-time against the Aces in the playoffs. They eliminated them in the 1997 WCHL Finals... The Aces haven't made it to the postseason since 2002 and have lost its last three playoff series... They have lost 12 of their last 15 playoff games overall, dating back to 1999... Koenig is 22-12 in his Gulls playoff career... The Gulls didn't allow four goals in any period during the regular season... Brian Gornick was named as the InGlasCo ECHL Player of the Week. He finished the regular season with 14 points (7g, 7a) in his final eight games... Gobert was activated from the injured list after sitting out the previous six games with an upper leg injury... Lent was returned from the American Hockey League's Springfield Falcons... Pohanka was re-assigned by the AHL's Cincinnati Mighty Ducks... Billy Tibbetts remains with the AHL's Houston Aeros... Both Dennis Purdie and Jamie Black remain on the 30-day injured list...

Round one of the playoffs, sponsored by Assil & Flowers Vision Institute and Medical Group, Inc. continues Wednesday at the Sports Arena with Game 2, scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Game 3 will be in Anchorage Alaska, with game-time set for 8 p.m. (PST). If necessary, Game 4 would also be in Anchorage Saturday, again starting at 8 p.m. (PST). If the series stretches to a fifth and deciding game, it would be Tuesday, April 13 in San Diego.

All games can be heard live on KPOP 1360AM and www.sandiegogulls.com with Chris Ello calling the play-by-play. The next edition of the Gulls Internet Radio show, hosted by Tera Black and Jeremy Zager on wsRadio.com, will air live Monday, April 19 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. To view pictures from this season, visit www.sdgullsphotos.com and www.zerodogentertainment.com.

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