Gulls Fall To Anchorage; But Still Clinch Second Place
April 5, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
SAN DIEGO -- Ryan Person sparkled in net for the Anchorage Aces Friday night, stopping 34 shots en route to a 3-2 win over the San Diego Gulls, before 6,641 at the Sports Arena.
Even with the setback, San Diego (43-22-5) still clinches second place after the Bakersfield Condors fell to the Idaho Steelheads tonight. The Gulls will now officially have home-ice advantage in the first round of the Taylor Cup Playoffs.
For the Aces (21-45-5), it was a matter of weathering the storm. The game was scoreless until midway through the game, but only thanks to some spectacular saves by Person. San Diego out-shot the Aces 15-8 through the opening frame, with several chances coming from point-blank range, but Person was equal to the task.
Anchorage fed off Person's hot goaltending and took a 2-0 lead with two power-play goals midway through the second. Eric Landry opened the scoring with his fifth goal at the 8:01 mark. Carl Drakensjo won an end zone faceoff and muscled it to Landry, who skated in front of the net and stuffed it by Cris Classen.
Kimbi Daniels gave the Aces a two-goal cushion with his 23rd tally at 10:43. After taking the puck at center ice, Daniels skated into the San Diego zone and fired a wrist shot that beat Classen five-hole.
Meanwhile, the Gulls kept throwing rubber at the Anchorage net. The Blue and Orange had a two-period total of 27 shots, but continued to be frustrated by Person.
Dean Tiltgen finally broke the spell and got the Gulls on the board 5:51 into the third period. After grabbing a pass from Mike Garrow at the point, Tiltgen walked in from the right wing boards and slid home his 27th goal.
The Aces answered at 9:35 on Drakensjo's 18th marker to regain their two-goal lead. Right off the faceoff, Kevin McNeill fed the slot to Drakensjo, who chipped it overtop Classen's shoulder for the game-winning tally. R.J. Enga's 29th goal cut the lead to 3-2 with just under one minute to play, but that's as close as San Diego could get.
Notes: Games 1 and 2 in the Gulls-Condors series will be played in Bakersfield. San Diego will then have four of the next five games at the Sports Arena... Mark Pederson was named as the 2002-03 West Coast Hockey League Outstanding Forward. He was selected to the All-WCHL team earlier this week... San Diego is 10-2-1 against the Aces this season, outscoring them 62-27 overall and 36-12 at the Sports Arena... Dean Larson, the WCHL's all-time leading scorer, closes out his career tomorrow night. He was named as the league's Man of the Year on Thursday... The Gulls signed rookie (B.J.) Abel in time for tonight's game. He takes the roster spot of Jamie Miller, who was placed on the season-ending injured list... Marc Busenburg and Rob Voltera remain with the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears...
San Diego hosts Anchorage again tomorrow at 7 p.m. before closing out the regular season Sunday at 5 p.m. against the Long Beach Ice Dogs. On Saturday, the first 5,000 fans will get a Gulls beach towel, presented by AutoTrader Magazine. Sunday is the last "McDonald's Night" with "Skate with the Gulls" immediately following the game. All games can be heard live on AM1130-KSDO with Chris Ello calling the play-by-play. The Gulls' Internet radio show broadcasts live every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on wsradio.com with Tera Black and Jeremy Zager hosting.
ECHL Stories from April 5, 2003
- Falcons End Regular Season on Winning Note - Fresno Falcons
- Generals Win 3-2, Look to Close out Express - Greensboro Generals
- Gulls Out-Gun Anchorage, 6-4 - San Diego Gulls
- IceGators advance to SW Division Finals with 3-1 win - Louisiana IceGators
- Sea Wolves Sweep Ice Pilots, Winning 5-1 - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- IceGators advance with 3-1 win - Louisiana IceGators
- IceGators Eliminate RiverBlades - Arkansas RiverBlades
- Cyclones Take 2-1 Series Lead in Sudden Death - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Pride take game one in Charleston 3-0 - Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz
- Colonel Claw'd's Ransom To Raise Money For Junior Achievement - Bakersfield Condors
- Falcons Lose in Shootout - Fresno Falcons
- Storm's Doug Teskey Named Sun National Bank Saver Of The Month - ECHL
- Chiefs' Dominic Forget Named Sher-Wood Player Of The Month - ECHL
- All Along the Coast - ECHL
- Eklund Called Up to Springfield - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Ice Dogs Trade Goals, Win in Shootout - Long Beach Ice Dogs
- Anchorage Rises Up, Stuns San Diego - Alaska Aces
- Val Bitsoi Wins Ford Focus At Grizzlies Game - Utah Grizzlies
- Gulls Fall To Anchorage; But Still Clinch Second Place - San Diego Gulls
- Roanoke rolls 3-1 to victory - Greensboro Generals
- Grizzlies End Home Drought With Late Victory Over Griffins - Utah Grizzlies
- Condors Add Three To Roster - Bakersfield Condors
- Buddy Smith Named ECHL MVP - ECHL
- Buddy Smith Named ECHL Most Valuable Player - Arkansas RiverBlades
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Buzak to Retire - Long Beach Ice Dogs
- Pederson Named Forward of the Year - San Diego Gulls
- Inferno win Game two, 6-4 at the Carolina Coliseum - Greenville Grrrowl
- Sea Wolves Power Past Ice Pilots, 5-1 - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Steelheads Steal 4-3 Win - Bakersfield Condors
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