Playoffs Begin Tonight in Bakersfield
Published on April 11, 2003 under ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- The San Diego Gulls were the best road team during the regular season and hope to continue the trend tonight in Game 1 of the Taylor Cup Semifinals against the Bakersfield Condors.
The Gulls have home-ice advantage in this series but, due to scheduling conflicts at the Sports Arena, opted to play Games 1 and 2 at Centennial Garden. Games 3, 4 and if necessary 5 and 7 are in San Diego.
San Diego and Bakersfield met 14 times in the regular season with the Condors slightly winning the series with a 7-5-2 record. The Gulls were 7-6-1 against the third-place Condors.
This series figures to be a battle between the goaltenders: Kevin St. Pierre and Trevor Koenig. St. Pierre was named the West Coast Hockey League's Most Valuable Player and Outstanding Goaltender this week. And why not? After all, he was the WCHL's goaltending triple-crown winner in 2002-03. He led the league in wins (36), while setting new WCHL single-season records with a 2.14 goals-against average and .929 save percentage. Koenig held the previous record with a 2.17 GAA and .920 save percentage.
Against Bakersfield's back-up netminders, the Gulls dominated going 4-0 and averaging 3.5 goals a game. But, expectedly, with St. Pierre between the pipes, it was a totally different story. The league's best backstop was 7-1-2 with a 2.00 GAA and .938 save percentage, even better than his overall numbers, against the Blue and Orange.
Koenig struggled the last few weeks of the regular season, but stayed eye-level with St. Pierre the whole way. San Diego's all-star netminder finished the third most wins (29) and second best GAA (2.21) and save percentage (.917). Koenig re-set another WCHL record with his six shutouts.
As far as scoring is concerned, R.J. Enga led the attack against Bakersfield with 15 points in 14 games. Mark Pederson, who was activated from injured reserve, finished with the seventh most points in the WCHL (72) and was selected as the league's Forward of the Year.
Former league MVP Paul Willett leads the offensive assault for the Condors. Willett won the scoring title with 85 points and tied with Idaho's Scott Swanson with a league-best 60 assists. Willett scored 15 points in 13 games against San Diego.
Game 2 is tomorrow at Centennial Garden, also starting at 7 p.m. All games can be heard live on AM1130-KSDO, with Chris Ello calling the play-by-play. You can listen to the Gulls Internet Radio Show's archives anytime on wsradio.com.
ECHL Stories from April 11, 2003
- Steelheads Muscle Past Falcons for Series Opening Win, 3-2 - Idaho Steelheads
- Steelheads Gain Early Advantage - Fresno Falcons
- Cyclones Take Series Lead on Storm with 2-1 Victory - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Steelheads Game One Preview - Idaho Steelheads
- Playoffs Begin Tonight in Bakersfield - San Diego Gulls
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Onetime Bomber Boguniecki Named ECHL Alumnus of the Month - Dayton Bombers
- Former Bomber Boguniecki Named DirecTV/NHL Center Ice Alumnus of the Month - ECHL
- Titans Complete Successful Fourth Season - Trenton Devils
- Title Defense Begins Tonight - Fresno Falcons
- All Along The Coast - ECHL
- Visit the Bombers 'Super Sale' on Saturday, April 13 at 10 a.m. - Dayton Bombers
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