Gulls Game Preview
December 27, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The San Diego Gulls come out of the Christmas break with seven straight wins and look to make eight in a row tonight when they take on the Long Beach Ice Dogs.
San Diego is coming off a weekend sweep of the last-place Anchorage Aces, out-scoring them 12-1. The Blue and Orange are still in second-place, five points behind the Bakersfield Condors.
After struggling much of the season offensively, the Gulls have averaged 4.71 goals during their seven-game run. Mark Pederson continues to put points on the board and is now tied for seventh in the West Coast Hockey League with 27. He's riding a five-game point streak coming into tonight's contest. Dean Tiltgen has also scored a point in five straight and is tied for the league lead with 14 goals. Clayton Read has quietly put together a career-high six-game point streak.
But Trevor Koenig has been the story lately for red-hot San Diego. He's 6-0 with a 1.17 goals against average over his last six games. He ranks second among WCHL netminders with 14 wins and a 1.99 GAA. Koenig also leads the league with three shutouts.
Long Beach has lost seven out of its last eight games (two of those in a shootout). The Ice Dogs haven't won a game in regulation since a 5-3 whitewashing of Anchorage Dec. 4. They sit in fourth-place, five points behind the Gulls.
Special teams have killed the Ice Dogs lately, who now rank last in the league in both power play and penalty killing. They've also allowed a league-high seven short-handed goals. Long Beach has been out-scored in every period, including 26-33 in the second.
Chris Kenady continues to lead the Ice Dogs in scoring and is tied with Pederson for seventh in the WCHL with 27 points. Kenady is also tied with a league-most 14 goals. Roger Maxwell is tied with Fresno's Brad Both for the most penalty minutes in the league (182).
The Gulls are 3-1-0 against their Southern California rival this season. The Blue and Orange are 15-10-1 in the all-time series match-up.
San Diego opens a season-long seven-game homestand Saturday against the Bakersfield Condors. Jamie Black player beanies, presented by your San Diego County Toyota Dealers, will be given to the first 5,000 fans. The Make-A-Wish jersey presentation will follow the game. All games can be heard live on 1130AM-KSDO and at www.ksdo.com 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 December 27, 2002
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