Idaho Can't Fool Gulls In OT, As San Diego Wins 3-2
April 1, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
SAN DIEGO - Pierre-Luc Sleigher scored midway through overtime, giving the San Diego Gulls a wild 3-2 victory over the Idaho Steelheads on Saturday night before 10,091 at ipayOne Center. The win extended the Gulls' home winning streak to six matches.
San Diego (34-28-6) remains in fourth place in the Pacific Division and has won six of its last seven matches. Idaho (41-21-8), meanwhile, has already wrapped up the No. 3 spot in the West Division. With the seventh-most points in the ECHL entering Saturday, the Steelheads are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.
In five games now against Idaho this season, San Diego is 4-1, outscoring the Steelheads 18-8.
The Gulls actually led 2-0 early in the third period before Idaho came back to force overtime. With the score 2-1 in favor of San Diego, Steelheads forward Marty Flichel notched a goal with only 1:04 remaining to tie it.
Despite allowing the late score, Gulls goaltender Michael Mole made 35 saves. In his past two starts, Mole has stopped 79 of 82 shots (96.3 percent).
On the game-winner, Sleigher took a pass from Jesse Bennefield and wristed a shot past Matt Yeats with 2:31 remaining in the extra frame. For the game, Idaho out-shot San Diego 37-24.
Gulls newcomer Conrad Martin finally broke the ice with the game's first goal late in the second period via the power play. Playing in his first pro game, Martin banged in a rebound off a Steve Hildenbrand shot to make it 1-0 at 15:48. The 23-year-old defenseman is fresh off his final season at Mercyhurst College, where he scored eight goals in 125 games. With the assist, Hildenbrand extended his point streak to six games (4g, 5a).
Kelly Askew gave San Diego some insurance just 1:58 into the third frame to make it 2-0. The forward redirected a Nikita Korovkin shot into the back of the net for his fifth score in 10 games with the Gulls.
But San Diego's two-goal advantage was short-lived, as Idaho came right back less than three minutes later. David Bararuk pulled the Steelheads back within one at 4:47, giving the league's second-ranked power-play team a goal with the man advantage.
The match marked the first of a three-game series between the two clubs. The Steelheads and Gulls will square off again at 5:05 p.m. Sunday and then at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday - both at the ipayOne Center.
Notes: San Diego is unbeaten in 15 of its last 20 games (14-5-1)... The Gulls have allowed 37 power plays in the last four games... Idaho is just 2-for-36 on the power play against San Diego this season... The Gulls are 20-9-4 at home... Rookie Jeff Winchester also made his Gulls debuts Saturday... Askew was activated from the injured list while Dennis Shiryaev was placed on the seven-day I-R with a sore knee...
San Diego and Idaho will meet again Sunday at 5:05 p.m. and Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Sunday will be the last Kids Night of the season and last chance to "Skate with the Gulls" after the game. All games can be heard on KLSD 1360AM and www.sandiegogulls.com with Chris Ello calling the play-by-play. All remaining 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.
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ECHL Stories from April 1, 2006
- Bonk Extends Goal Streak to Five in Condors Win - Bakersfield Condors
- Condors Soar Past RoadRunners 3-1 - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Steelheads Comeback Ends In 3-2 Overtime Loss To Gulls - Idaho Steelheads
- Idaho Can't Fool Gulls In OT, As San Diego Wins 3-2 - San Diego Gulls
- Fresno Falcons Hand Grizzlies Fourth Straight Loss, 5-2 - Utah Grizzlies
- 'Blades announce dates for first two home playoff games - Florida Everblades
- Bombers fired up in 4-2 victory over Royals - Dayton Bombers
- 'Blades fall in OT; but still clinch first-round playoff bye - Florida Everblades
- Late game magic eludes Titans in 2-1 shootout loss to Storm - Trenton Devils
- Checkers king Lynx 3-1 - Augusta Lynx
- Gladiators Beat Stingrays, 4-3; Clinch American Conference and South Division - Atlanta Gladiators
- Lee goes back to Bridgeport - Trenton Devils
- San Diego Looks To Extend Home Winning Streak To Six Games - San Diego Gulls
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- ECHL Today - ECHL
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- Four of a Kind for Victoria - Victoria Salmon Kings
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- Falcons Escape with 4-3 Shootout Victory - Fresno Falcons
- Checkers defeated 7-3 by South Carolina - Charlotte Checkers
- Condors take Second Straight Game from Grizzlies, 3-2 - Utah Grizzlies
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