Salmon Kings Trip Up Wranglers, Win Fourth In A Row

Published on December 11, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Victoria Salmon Kings News Release


Victoria, BC - In a Thursday night matchup the Victoria Salmon Kings and Las Vegas Wranglers met in the first of a three-games in three-night set at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. Victoria's David Shantz started in net while Las Vegas countered with Joel Gistedt.

The Wranglers hit the scoreboard just 22 seconds into the game when Francis Lemieux and Ryan Weston worked into the offensive zone on 2-on-1 advantage. The tandem used a pretty give-and-go passing play that resulted in Lemieux slipping the puck into an open net and past Shantz. Lemieux's marker was his sixth of the season. Victoria would knot the score at 1-1 just 1:12 later on the power play. A scramble in front of Gistedt resulted in the puck squirting out to Chad Painchaud on the left side of the Wranglers' netminder. The Kings' winger made no mistake burying his seventh goal of the season. The two early goals would be the only ones in the opening period, as the Salmon Kings and Wranglers skated into the first intermission deadlocked at a 1-1.

Las Vegas would take a 2-1 lead at 6:54 of the middle period when a loose puck in the slot found the stick of Weston. The Wrangler forward snapped a quick shot that bounced its way through traffic and over Shantz's blocker. Weston's goal was his fourth of the campaign. The Salmon Kings would again tie the game at the 12:49 mark when Tim Wedderburn, from below the goal line, laced a pass into the slot for a streaking Andy Brandt who one-timed a shot past Gistedt's blocker into the top corner of the net. Brandt's goal was his fifth of the season. Salmon Kings' captain Wes Goldie gave the Salmon Kings their first lead of the night at 14:50 when he kicked a bouncing puck to his stick in the right faceoff circle and fired a shot at the Wranglers goaltender. Gistedt made a quick pad save, but the puck bounced out and deflected back into the net off a Las Vegas defender. Goldie's tally was his team-leading eighth of the year, and sent the Salmon Kings into the second intermission with a 3-2 lead.

Jimmy Sharrow extended the Salmon Kings' lead to 4-2 on the power play at 10:37 mark of the third period when he took a pass in the high slot from Chad Painchaud, and fired a hard one-timer between Gistedt's right arm and pad. Sharrow's goal was his third of the season, and rounded out the scoring for the game. Salmon Kings 4 Wranglers 2.

Victoria went 2/825.0% on the power play while Las Vegas was 0/60.0%. The Salmon Kings outshot the Wranglers 34-28.

Victoria and Las Vegas Wranglers continue their three-games in three-nights set with contests tomorrow and Saturday. The Salmon Kings will unveil their new third jerseys during tomorrow night's game, and Saturday is the Teddy Bear Toss!

Fans are encouraged to bring new teddy bears to Saturday's game and throw the stuffed animals onto the ice after the Salmon Kings' first goal. Bears will also be available to purchase on the concourse for just $12 courtesy of the Bay!

This Saturday is also the second of four dates that the Salmon Kings present their "Shuffle-to-Win" contest courtesy of Dave Wheaton GMC and the Times Colonist for a chance to win a brand new Cadillac SRX! Puck drop for both tomorrow and Saturday is 7:05 p.m. For tickets, call 250-220-7777 or visit www.selectyourtickets.com.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from December 11, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central