It all comes down to this...
March 28, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
SAN DIEGO ââ So it all comes down to this... The San Diego Gulls, who enter the week nine points out of a playoff spot, must win all four of their upcoming games with the Idaho Steelheads, the team that currently owns the fourth and final playoff spot in the West Division.
If Idaho wins one of the next four games in regulation, the Gulls would be eliminated from postseason contention. It's as simple as that. San Diego, which went 2-1-0 last week, is also six points behind the fifth-place Fresno Falcons. All three teams have six games left in the regular season.
WEEK IN REVIEW:
March 25 vs. Long Beach: Eddy Ferhi stopped all 37 Long Beach shots and newcomer Brett Draney supplied all the offense needed, en route to San Diego's 2-0 blanking over the Ice Dogs. It was a scoreless duel until Draney lit the lamp midway through the second period. That's how the game stayed until Joel Stepp sealed the Gulls' victory with an empty-netter late in the third.
March 26 @ Long Beach: The Ice Dogs scored two goals in an 18-second span late in the second period, then again 21-seconds apart early in the third en route to a 5-2 victory over the Gulls Saturday night at the Long Beach Arena. Joe Cardarelli led the way for Long Beach with two goals and an assist, while netminder Sebastien Centomo turned aside 27 of San Diego's 29 shots. Brian Gornick (1g, 1a) and Guillaume Fournier (2a) each had multipoint games for the Gulls.
March 27 vs. Gwinnett: David Karpa notched a goal and an assist and Ferhi stopped 27 of 29 shots, leading the Gulls to a tight 3-2 victory over Gwinnett. San Diego jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead, thanks to goals by Chris Lynch and Max Birbraer. The Gladiators cut the lead in half but Karpa's goal with a two-man advantage late in the second regained San Diego's two-goal cushion. That proved to be the game-winner because Gwinnett cut the lead back to one late in the third period.
PLAYER NOTES: Ferhi's shutout Friday against Long Beach was his second in March and second in his professional career... Brian Gornick now leads the team with 46 points (23g, 23a)... Draney was acquired from Idaho Tuesday for Evgueni Nourislamov. Draney has 16 points (7g, 9a) in his last 10 games... Aaron Forsythe was acquired Tuesday from Peoria for Ian Forbes... Simon Lajeunesse was acquired Tuesday from Dayton... Sylvain Deschatelets was traded to Bakersfield on Tuesday... Mathieu Chouinard was released... Curtis Brown was activated from the injured list Sunday... Wes Rypien (groin) and Nick Ganga (knee) remain on injured reserve...
TEAM NOTES: Of San Diego's remaining six games, three are at home... The Gulls' next four games are against the Steelheads... They are 22-8-3 at home and 12-18-3 on the road this season... San Diego is 23-3-1 when scoring four-plus goals in a game, but just 11-23-5 when scoring three or less... The Gulls have only out-shot their opponents seven times since the all-star break (29 games)... They are 13-15-2 in their last 30 games... Since the all-star break the Gulls are 8-4-1 at home and 5-10-1 on the road (13-14-2 overall)...
UPCOMING GAMES: San Diego plays its next four games against the Steelheads, with the first three in Boise, Idaho. The Gulls will face Idaho Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at the Bank of America Centre, with all games beginning at 6:05 p.m. (PST). The two will square off again in San Diego Wednesday April 6 at 7:05 p.m. (PDT).
All games can be heard live 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 link on the home page for a list of the upcoming telecasted games. To view pictures from this season, visit www.sdgullsphotos.com and www.zerodogentertainment.com.
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