Gulls Losing Streak Hits Six

Published on February 16, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - When it rains, it pours for the San Diego Gulls. The Bakersfield Condors dealt San Diego its sixth straight loss on a six-game road trip, 3-1 Wednesday night at Rabobank Arena in the final match-up of the season between the two clubs.

The Gulls (19-22-5) started their road trip with a seemingly comfortable six-point lead over Bakersfield (21-18-5) for third place in the Pacific Division. Since then, however, San Diego has fallen to fourth, four points back of the Condors. The Gulls have dropped three in a row to their division rival after winning the first five meetings of the year.

San Diego is now 2-8-1 in its last 11 matches.

The Gulls skated only 13 players - three fewer than normal - but still managed to play a tight contest with the Condors through two periods. The game entered the final frame with Bakersfield ahead only 1-0.

That's when San Diego ran out of gas.

Defenseman Reagen Leslie scored just his third goal of the season 1:21 into the final frame, and Mike Hofstrand added a power-play score with 10:34 remaining to turn a tight match into an easy victory for the Condors. For the period, Bakersfield out-shot the Gulls 15-3 while nearly doubling them up for the game, 38-20. Making his seventh consecutive start for San Diego, netminder Tom Lawson stopped 35 of those 38 shots.

Steve Hildenbrand, meanwhile, helped the Gulls avoid their second shutout with his 17th goal of the year - and 10th against the Condors in seven games - with 3:04 left in the match. But that was Ryan Munce's only blemish, as the Bakersfield goaltender made 19 saves. In his last three games against San Diego, Munce has stopped 97 of 100 shots.

Red-hot Sean Venedam continued his torrid pace to break the ice in the first period. On a power play, the Condors forward snuck a shot just inside the right post to put Bakersfield up 1-0 at the 13:19 mark. The score marked Venedam's eighth tally in his last five games while upping his goal total with the man advantage to an ECHL-leading 15.

That's how the game entered the second period, when neither club could capitalize on a combined seven power plays. For the match, the Gulls went 1-for-9 with the man advantage. They have converted just eight of their last 90 power-play chances (8.9 percent).

Notes: San Diego played without six regulars again because of injuries: Guillaume Fournier (concussion), Grady Moore (concussion), Richard Keyes (groin), Alex Kim (collarbone), Kelly Askew (ankle) and Alex Rogosheske (knee)... The longest winless streak in Gulls history is seven (1999-00), a mark the team will try to avoid Saturday at home... Their six-game road losing streak is a new franchise record... San Diego gave up two power-play goals Wednesday but overall has killed 41 of 45 penalties during its last eight games (91.1 percent)...

With the road trip finally over, San Diego returns home Saturday to battle the Victoria Salmon Kings, with game-time set for 7:05 p.m. The contest will be "Canadian Night," with the first 8,000 fans receiving a Gulls toque (A.K.A. beanie hat), courtesy of your San Diego County Toyota Dealers.

All games can be heard live on KLSD 1360AM and www.sandiegogulls.com with Chris Ello calling the play-by-play. Most games can also be viewed on the Gulls' web site, courtesy of B2 Networks. Click the B2 Networks (Watch the Game Live) link on the home page for a list of the upcoming viewable games. To view pictures from this season, visit www.zerodogentertainment.com.

SCORING SUMMARY: San Diego: 0, 0, 1 = 1 Bakersfield: 1, 0, 2 = 3

First Period: 1, BAK - Sean Venedam 25 (Kevin St. Jacques), 13:19 (pp). Second Period: None. Third Period: 2, BAK - Reagen Leslie 3 (Joel Irving, Scott Balan), 1:21; 3, BAK - Mike Hofstrand 10 (Scott Borders, Kevin Truelson), 9:26 (pp); 4, SDG - Steve Hildenbrand 17 (Darren Clark, Jonathan Shockey), 16:56 (pp).

SHOTS: San Diego: 8, 9, 3 = 20 Bakersfield: 11, 12, 15 = 38

POWER PLAYS: San Diego: 1 for 9 Bakersfield: 2 for 9

GOALTENDERS: San Diego: Tom Lawson (10, 12, 13 = 35) Bakersfield: Ryan Munce (8, 9, 2 = 19)

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