Road To Taylor Cup Begins in Bakersfield
April 7, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
SAN DIEGO -- Remember when the San Diego Gulls started the season 8-10-1? Remember when they came into December out of a playoff spot? Ah, how times have changed.
Well the regular season is over now and San Diego, to say the least, has turned things around. After their rough start, the Gulls went unbeaten in 41 of 53 games (37-12-4) and climbed all the way to the second seed in the West Coast Hockey League. Now it's on to the Taylor Cup Playoffs. First stop: Bakersfield.
San Diego went 7-6-1 against the Condors this season, but the match-up seemed even closer than that. And even though the Gulls have home-ice advantage, the series will begin in Bakersfield. Games 1 and 2 will be Friday and Saturday at Centennial Garden before shifting back to San Diego. The Blue and Orange will host games 3, 4 and if necessary 5 and 7.
NOTES: Trevor Koenig ended the season with 99 career wins with the Gulls... Mark Pederson was named as the 2002-03 WCHL Forward of the Year and was selected to the All-WCHL team... R.J. Enga notched his sixth career 30-goal season last weekend... The Gulls finished the regular season 19-19-4 against playoff teams (Idaho, Fresno and Bakersfield). They were 26-3-1 combined against Long Beach and Anchorage...
TRANSACTIONS: Pederson is expected to be activated from the injured list in time for Game 1... Rookie B.J. Abel signed... Jamie Miller was placed on season-ending injured reserve... Marc Busenburg and Rob Voltera remain with the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears. They will not be eligible to play with the Gulls in the postseason.
COMMUNITY UPDATE: Saturday: The Gulls held a playoff "Chalk Talk," presented by Baja Fresh, at the Sports Arena. The clinic was designed to educate all fans about the intricacies of hockey, including special playoff rules and the specific tactics that will be used against their 2003 playoff opponent(s). Head coach Steve Martinson, Dan Cousineau and Mark Pederson led the chalk talk, which included on-ice demonstrations and an exclusive VIP locker room tour.
Monday: This is your last chance to wine and dine with your favorite Gulls players at the Pucks & Pasta Charity dinner at the Downtown Hard Rock Café. Come out and support the Gulls and City of Hope's National Medical Research Center by joining them for a night of food and fun at 6:30 p.m. You'll be a part of question and answer sessions, raffles and auctions for autographed Gulls memorabilia!
RECAP:
ACES 3 @ Gulls 2, Friday, April 4: Ryan Person sparkled in net for Anchorage, turning aside 34 shots and leading the Aces to the 3-2 win over the Blue and Orange. Anchorage went ahead 2-0 midway through the game before Dean Tiltgen cut the lead in half early in the third. Carl Drakensjo regained the two-goal lead, which proved to be the game-winner. Enga drew the Gulls back within one late, but it was too little too late.
Aces 4 @ GULLS 6: Saturday, April 5: It was Dean Larson's final game of his career but, while he scored a goal, the Gulls stole the spotlight. San Diego jumped out to a 3-0 lead before Larson got his tally midway through the first. Anchorage drew within one in the second, but Tiltgen's penalty shot goal was the back-breaker. Each team traded goals in the third period.
Ice Dogs 2 @ Gulls 6: Sunday, April 6: San Diego closed out the regular season with its 13th straight win over Long Beach. The game was tied, 1-1, after the first period, but Enga and Sylvain Deschatelets scored 59 seconds apart in the second to put the Gulls up for good. The Ice Dogs cut the lead to 3-2 early in the third, but the Gulls netted three more in the third and cruised to victory.
THIS WEEK:
Games 1 and 2 from Centennial Garden Friday and Saturday both begin at 7 p.m. The series shifts back to San Diego on Tuesday, April 15. All games can be heard live on AM1130-KSDO 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 April 7, 2003
- Inferno sweep Grrrowl three-games-to-none to advance to Division finals - Greenville Grrrowl
- Larson Named Best Player in Two Publications - Alaska Aces
- Grizzlies Lose A Pair Of Defenseman - Utah Grizzlies
- Help! Colonel Claw'd has been Kidnapped; KGET Support the Troops Rally, Saturday - Bakersfield Condors
- Black out for Season; Another Rookie Signed - San Diego Gulls
- Idaho's Scott Swanson Named 2002-03 WCHL Outstanding De fenseman - Idaho Steelheads
- Unbeaten Week Ends Regular Season - Fresno Falcons
- Komets sweep Beacons, Jackals up next - Fort Wayne Komets
- Condors Close Regular Season with 41 Wins - Bakersfield Condors
- Steelheads Support Idaho's Troops - Idaho Steelheads
- Steelheads Kick off White Out Week - Idaho Steelheads
- Cincinnati Meets Toledo in Second Round of 2003 Kelly Cup Playoffs - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Generals Playoff Intelligence Report - Greensboro Generals
- Storm Tracks - Toledo Walleye
- Road To Taylor Cup Begins in Bakersfield - San Diego Gulls
- SW Division Finals schedule announced - Louisiana IceGators
- Schedule Announced for Southwest Division Finals - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Bullies Hold Two Games to None Lead - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- Express in First Round Battle with Greensboro - Roanoke Express
- Thank You For A Great Season - Arkansas RiverBlades
- Mississippi Faces Louisiana in Southwest Division Finals - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Stingrays Face Elimination Tonight - South Carolina Stingrays
- All Along The Coast - ECHL
- Storm Sweep Men from Playoff Picture - Burlington
- Gingras Called Up to Springfield - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Season Ends With Series Lost to Mississippi - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Forget Named ECHL Player of the Month - Johnstown Chiefs
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