No Luck For Gulls As They Fall 3-1 At Victoria
March 17, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
VICTORIA, British Columbia - The Victoria Salmon Kings scored two goals only 17 seconds apart, as they came back for a 3-1 victory over the San Diego Gulls on Friday night at the Save-On-Food Memorial Centre.
Although already eliminated from playoff contention, the Salmon Kings (21-34-7) played like a Taylor Cup contender. They came from behind for the second straight match against San Diego after winning 4-3 in overtime Wednesday, when they trailed 3-1 after one period and 3-2 entering the third.
On St. Patrick's Day, San Diego (28-27-6) slipped five points behind Bakersfield for third place in the Pacific Division with 11 games left in the regular season.
Just like during Wednesday's match-up, the Gulls jumped to a lead in the first period. Bobby Cunningham scored his eighth goal of the season and second in six games with San Diego to make it 1-0 at the 14:16 mark. Dennis Shiryaev and J.F. Soucy picked up assists on the play, but that's all the Gulls would get, as Victoria goalie Rob McVicar stopped 30 shots for his 10th win of the year. In two games now against San Diego, McVicar has allowed only one score on 54 shots (98.1 percent).
The Salmon Kings responded by dominating the second frame, when they out-shot, out-hustled and out-played the Gulls. Victoria notched its two scores to turn a 1-0 San Diego lead into a 2-1 advantage for the home team with 12:56 remaining. Steve Roberts got things going for the Salmon Kings with a wraparound goal 6:47 into the second, and Seth Leonard added another score just 17 seconds later. Suddenly, Victoria had its first lead of the night and all of the match's momentum.
Netminder Michael Mole kept San Diego in it with some stellar saves - 30 in all - during his second game since coming over in a trade with Phoenix on Tuesday. But it wasn't enough, and Roberts capped the Victoria victory with an empty-netter with 24 seconds remaining.
Notes: San Diego forward Kelly Askew was scratched from the lineup Friday and won't play Saturday after suffering a seizure during practice Thursday. He was transported back to San Diego and will be re-evaluated in the coming days... San Diego has allowed only one power-play goal in the last seven games and has killed 136 of 149 in the last 27 matches overall (91.3 percent)... The Gulls are one for their last 26 on the power play... In their last 23 games, 15 have been decided by one goal... Willie O'Ree was again behind the bench serving as a special assistant coach... Out of San Diego's remaining 11 games, six are against teams over .500... Bakersfield, which the Gulls are chasing for third place, has eight out of 13 games remaining against teams with winning records...
The Gulls and Salmon Kings conclude their three-game series Saturday, with game-time again scheduled for 7 p.m. San Diego returns home Friday, March 24 against the Long Beach Ice Dogs. It will be another "Pooch Party Night," presented by VCA Animal Hospitals. The Gulls will then host the Phoenix Roadrunners Saturday, March 25. That will be "80s Night," and the first 8,000 fans will receive a Velcro wallet, courtesy of Casino Pauma.
All games can be heard 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.
ECHL Stories from March 17, 2006
- Bombers unlucky in Wheeling in 7-0 loss - Dayton Bombers
- Four leaf clover finish - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Charlotte inches closer to playoff spot with 4-3 shootout win at Columbia - Charlotte Checkers
- Condors Soar Past RoadRunners 5-2 - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Peluso Tallies Lone Wranglers' Goal - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Utah Falls 2-0 To Idaho - Utah Grizzlies
- No Luck For Gulls As They Fall 3-1 At Victoria - San Diego Gulls
- Yeats Stifles Grizzlies, as Steelheads Win, 2-0 - Idaho Steelheads
- Titans stifled by Storm in 4-0 loss - Trenton Devils
- Royals Pull Off Dramatic Comeback To Defeat Chiefs In Overtime, 6-5 - Reading Royals
- Six round shootout goes to Everblades - Augusta Lynx
- Gladiators fall to Grrrowl, 3-2 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Everblades win shootout thiller over Augusta - Florida Everblades
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Storm Add Norrington - Toledo Walleye
- RoadRunners Season Ticket Holder Renewal Party Set For Tuesday - Phoenix RoadRunners
- 'Blades activate Coalter - Florida Everblades
- Titans and Chickie's and Pete's to host town meeting - Trenton Devils
- Charlotte's Worrell Fined - ECHL
- 'Blades announce playoff on-sale date - Florida Everblades
- ECHL Today - ECHL
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