San Diego Goes 1-1-1 North Of The Border, Prepares For Two Game Homestand

March 20, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


SAN DIEGO -- The Gulls picked up three of a possible six points during a three game road-trip against Victoria, which was enough to clinch a spot in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. San Diego is now five points behind Bakersfield for third place in the Pacific Division and will do everything they can to catch them as they approach the final stretch of the season. The Gulls received solid goaltending from new netminder Michael Mole and Pierre-Luc Sleigher added four points during the trip.

WEEK IN REVIEW:

March 15 @ Victoria: Rookie Taggart Desmet scored the overtime game-winner and added three assists, leading the Salmon Kings to a come-from-behind 4-3 victory against the Gulls at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. Kelly Askew gave San Diego a 1-0 lead 3:59 into the game, knocking in a shot off the post for his fourth goal. Lanny Gare tied it for Victoria 37 seconds later. Mark Wires notched his 12th of the season at the 10:38 mark and then set-up Steve Hildenbrand's power-play goal at 13:33. Former Gull Jade Galbraith drew Victoria back within one beating newly acquired netminder Mole uncontested. Gare sent the game to overtime when he notched the game-tying goal 11:27 into the third period. Sleigher took a hooking penalty late in the third that carried into the extra frame and Victoria capitalized 20 seconds in, as Desmet knocked in a rebound off Steve Lingren's slap shot.

March 17 @ Victoria: The Salmon Kings scored two goals only 17 seconds apart, as they came back for a 3-1 victory over the Gulls Friday. The Gulls jumped out to a lead in the first period as Bobby Cunningham scored his eighth goal of the season at the 14:16 mark. Dennis Shiryaev and J.F. Soucy picked up assists on the play, but that's all the Gulls would get, as Victoria goalie Rob McVicar stopped 30 shots for his 10th win of the year. Steve Roberts and Seth Leonard notched their two scores to turn a 1-0 San Diego lead into a 2-1 advantage for the home team. Mole kept San Diego in it with some stellar saves - 30 in all - but it wasn't enough, and Roberts capped the Victoria victory with an empty-netter with 24 seconds remaining.

March 18 @ Victoria: San Diego needed a shootout, but they finally came away with a victory over the Salmon Kings, 4-3 Saturday night. Sleigher scored two goals and Chris Cava added one to give San Diego a seemingly comfortable 3-1 lead 85 seconds into the final period. But Victoria didn't go away. Ryan Wade and Leonard scored only 37 seconds apart to pull the Salmon Kings even at 3-3 with 4:33 left and to force overtime. San Diego got goals in the shootout from Sleigher, Hildenbrand and the winner from Cunningham. Galbraith and Gare scored for the Salmon Kings, but Leonard missed high on a shot in the fifth round to clinch it for the Gulls.

Individual Notes: Jesse Bennefield, who sat out Saturday, is still third among ECHL rookies with 28 goals... Mole leads the league with 2,802 minutes played and is second with 1,369 saves... The Gulls have had 48 different players suit up for them this season...

Team Notes: San Diego is unbeaten in 10 of its last 14 games (9-4-1)... The Gulls have allowed only three power-play goals in their last seven games, but are two for their last 28 on the power play... In their last 24 games, 16 have been decided by one goal... San Diego has 10 regular season games left, six of which are against teams over .500

San Diego returns home Friday, March 24 against the Long Beach Ice Dogs. It will be another "Pooch Party Night," presented by VCA Animal Hospitals. The Gulls will then host the Phoenix Roadrunners Saturday, March 25. That will be "80s Night," and the first 8,000 fans will receive a Velcro wallet, courtesy of Casino Pauma.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. Click the B2 Networks (Watch the Game Live) link on the home page for a list of the upcoming viewable games. To view pictures from this season, visit www.zerodogentertainment.com.



ECHL Stories from March 20, 2006


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