Salmon Kings slow Roadrunners in seventh straight win

April 5, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Victoria Salmon Kings News Release


Victoria, BC - The Victoria Salmon Kings, proud affiliate of the Manitoba Moose and the Vancouver Canucks, rolled to their seventh straight victory in game one of the final regular season series. In front of 4,212 fans at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, the Roadrunners kept pace, but the Salmon Kings ran away with a 6-4 win as Forward Milan Gajic grabbed four points.

Canucks contracted defenseman Patrick Coulombe earned his first point with the Salmon Kings as the home team took a 1-0 lead with 7:20 remaining in the first frame. From the right point, Phil Cole passed to Coulombe at the left point, and his shot rebounded to a planted Robin Gomez in front of the crease. Just over one minute later, a Victoria odd man rush was turned away and followed with a Phoenix odd man rush. Mathew Deschamps capitalized from the top of the left circle, beating Goaltender Julien Ellis over the shoulder for his second goal of the season, and tying the game 1-1

Victoria jumped to a two-goal lead in the first half of the second stanza. Phoenix tried to clear the puck, but rookie Warren McCutcheon kept the puck along the left boards and fed Gajic perched at the crease for the tap in at 2:06 into the period. Mike Stutzel tallied his 16th goal of the season at 8:08 into the period, muscling out the Roadrunner defenseman and redirecting a shot from the point by Cole.

Phoenix replied with two goals to tie the game 3-3 in the span of 35 seconds. A foiled pass attempt led to a resting puck in the neutral zone, and Tommy Maxwell scooped it up for the breakaway. Maxwell swooped along the left wing for the five-hole goal. Jeff Kyrzakos earned his tenth goal of the season after Nanaimo native Greg Hornby kept the puck in the Salmon Kings zone and his shot from the right boards was redirected past Ellis by Kyrzakos with 4:00 remaining in the second.

With 2:16 remaining in the period, Victoria captured the 4-3 lead and McLeod posted his 30th goal of the season. Gajic moved the puck to Steve Lingren at the left point and his shot was deflected to the roof of the net by McLeod.

Gajic notched his second goal of the game for a Salmon Kings 5-3 lead at 9:38 into the final stanza. Led up the ice by Coulombe, Gajic sprinted down the right wing and went top corner shortside on Netminder Cody Rudowsky.

The Roadrunners bounced back and closed the gap 5-4 at the 10:11 mark. From behind the Salmon Kings net, Todd Jackson spotted Brock Hooton alone at the edge of the right circle and Hooton tallied his 17th goal of the season.

McLeod found an empty net goal after Victoria won a faceoff with 00:06 remaining in the game.

Final: 6-4 Salmon Kings

Ellis notched his 20th win of the season and Rudkowsky was handed with his 21st loss. Neither team scored on the powerplay in four opportunities. The Salmon Kings outshot the Roadrunners 39-29. Victoria (34-32-1-3) continues to fight for sixth in the conference and faces Phoenix (26-37-2-3) for game two of the series of the regular season on Friday, starting at 7:05 p.m. (PT) at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

NOTES:

- The Salmon Kings continue a club record with seven straight wins.

- Salmon Kings average 5.0 goals per game over last seven games.

- Milan Gajic and Mike Stutzel each earned their 50th pro goal.

- Milan Gajic is on a seven-game point streak (6g, 8a).

- Kiel McLeod is on a six-game point streak (5g, 9a).

- Patrick Coulombe earned two points in his first home game with the Salmon Kings.

Kiel McLeod and the Salmon Kings will participate in an autograph session following the game on Saturday April 7th. Visit with your playoff-bound team by Kings Things merchandise store.



ECHL Stories from April 5, 2007


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