Record Crowd of 13,001 Watch Gulls Fall In OT, 4-3
November 6, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
SAN DIEGO - Steve Slonina scored 53 seconds into overtime and Jake Moreland stopped 39 shots, leading the Stockton Thunder to a 4-3 win in the San Diego Gulls' home opener Saturday night, before a standing room only crowd of 13,001. That's the largest crowd in Gulls history, dating back to 1995.
San Diego (2-5-1) trailed 3-2 late in the third period but Frantisek Skladany's second goal of the game sent the contest to the extra frame. Stockton (1-1-2) picks up its first win in franchise history.
The Gulls were holding their sixth annual Teddy Bear Toss, which meant fans could throw a stuffed toy onto the ice when San Diego scored its first goal. It didn't take long for the Blue and Orange to oblige, as Guillaume Fournier notched a power-play marker just 1:22 into the game.
Martin Mandeville found Fournier at the left wing circle and the Gulls right-winger skated in and beat Moreland blocker-side. Thousands of teddy bears then littered the ice, which will be donated to Children's Hospital at a later date.
The Thunder, however, answered with two straight goals later in the first to grab a 2-1 lead. Joel Irwin got Stockton on the board with a power-play tally at 6:56, beating Gulls netminder Tyler Weiman from the right circle. Mike Lalonde then lit the lamp at 13:38, converting a rebound off Nathan Martz's initial shot.
Skladany tied it 11:37 into the second with another Gulls power-play goal. Grady Moore's initial shot from the left point hit Nikita Korovkin and bounced right to the crease. That's where Skladany picked up the loose puck and slipped it home.
But back came the Thunder three minutes later with their second power-play marker. Lalonde was the beneficiary once again, roofing a shot from the bottom of the right circle for his second tally of the game - fourth of the season.
Skladany re-tied it at the 17:26 mark of the third period, right after Richard Keyes won a faceoff deep in the Stockton zone. It was Skladany's second goal of the game and season.
San Diego's Steve Hildenbrand got whistled for a high-sticking penalty just as overtime began and the Thunder capitalized once again. After a scramble in front of Weiman, Slonina found a loose puck and slipped it past the out-stretched Gulls backstop.
Notes: This was the sixth sellout in Gulls history and first since Oct. 12, 2002. Capacity at the ipayOne Center is 12,920. The previous record was a standing room only crowd of 12,981, set March 28, 1998... The Gulls are now 9-0-2 all-time in home openers (2-0-1 in the ECHL)... San Diego will play nine of its next 12 games at home... The Gulls have scored four power-play goals in the last two games... Doug MacIver served the third of a five-game suspension. Rookie goaltender Aaron McKenzie was placed on the seven-day injured list Wednesday...
The Gulls return to action Saturday, Nov. 12 in Fresno, with game-time set for 7 p.m. from Save Mart Center. San Diego hosts the Phoenix Roadrunners Sunday, Nov. 13 at 5:05 p.m. It will be the first Kids Night and "Skate with the Gulls" will immediately follow the game. 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 (Both games next week CAN BE VIEWED). Click the B2 Networks (Watch the Game Live) link on the home page for a list of the upcoming telecasted games. To view pictures from this season, visit www.zerodogentertainment.com.
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