Pederson gets hat trick, Gulls win 7-4

December 15, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Gulls have had their struggles offensively this season, but not this weekend. After scoring six last night, San Diego put up seven more tonight, highlighted my Mark Pederson's hat trick, to skate by the Fresno Falcons 7-4 Saturday night, before 6,501 at the San Diego Sports Arena.

Similar to Friday night, the Gulls (12-10-1) quickly found themselves behind the eight ball, as Fresno (8-10-2) struck three times in the first period. Kris Porter tickled the twine first with his team leading 10th goal at 2:02. Porter got by Gulls defenseman Samy Nasreddine and, while diving for the puck, slipped it between Trevor Koenig's pads. The Falcons took a 2-0 lead on newcomer Mike Duthie's first of the year at 4:29. With the man advantage, Duthie redirected Drew Schoneck's wrist shot from the point.

The Gulls sandwiched in two power-play goals before Fresno regained the lead, 3-2. Pederson, coming off his four-point game the previous night, got things going for the Blue and Orange with a breakaway goal at 8:26. R.J. Enga netted his first of the game at 17:48, tying the game with a slap shot from the blue line. The lead was short-lived however, as Mike Barrie's blast from the top of the circle at 19:22 put the Falcons back in front. It was his first goal in a Fresno uniform.

The seesaw battle continued in the second period as the Gulls grabbed a 4-3 lead. They tied the contest with their third straight power-play goal 1:39 into the stanza. Red-hot Pederson took a feed from Cory Cyrenne and one-timed home his second of the night past Terry Friesen. Cyrenne then notched his second goal, slamming in a rebound off Mike Garrow's shot at 8:34.

Enga put the Gulls up for good with his second of the game - 10th of the season - six minutes into the third period, finishing off a two-on-one rush with Cyrenne. The Falcons crept to within one with their third power-play tally at 10:28 as Kevin Haupt rocketed a shot past Koenig from the point.

San Diego iced the game with two more goals in a 22 second span. Mike Garrow blasted in his seventh and the Gull's fourth power-play marker at 13:53, while Pederson completed the hat trick - scoring his 13th on the year - at 14:17.

Notes: Pederson has nine points in his last three games (5g, 4a)... Cyrenne had five points tonight (1g, 4a). He has 10 points (2g, 8a) since in his six games with the Blue and Orange... Sylvain Deschatelets finished the game with four assists, tying a career high... San Diego's victory Friday night was the franchise's 400th all-time (including postseason)... Jamie Black is still on injured reserve with a hairline ankle facture... Dennis Purdie missed his third straight game with a separated shoulder... Marc Busenburg and Rob Voltera remain with the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears... San Diego plays 10 of its next 14 games at home...

The Gulls finish their homestand Sunday against the Bakersfield Condors. Game time is set for 5 p.m. with "Skate with the Gulls" held immediately afterward. San Diego then hits the road, playing two games next weekend in Anchorage. 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 15, 2002


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