San Diego Looks For Fourth Win In The Last Five Games

January 7, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


Saturday, Jan. 7
SAN DIEGO GULLS (14-12-4) VS. UTAH GRIZZLIES (20-11-2)
Time: 7:05 p.m.
Venue: ipayOne Center
Radio: KLSD (1360AM)
TV: B2 Networks (www.sandiegogulls.com)

SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Gulls, who have won three of their last four games, continue their homestand tonight as they welcome the Utah Grizzlies, making their first-ever appearance at the ipayOne Center.

SERIES HISTORY:
The Gulls and Grizzlies have met twice so far this season with San Diego holding a 2-0-0 series edge. The teams square off four more times during the regular season, two in each city.

2005-06 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES:
12/10/05 San Diego 4 @ Utah 3
12/12/05 San Diego 2 @ Utah 1 (overtime)

This is Utah's first season in the ECHL and first-ever visit to San Diego.

LAST HEAD-TO-HEAD MEETING (DEC. 12 @ UTAH):
Alex Kim scored 1:27 into overtime and notched an assist, leading the Gulls to a 2-1 victory, completing a two-game sweep of the Grizzlies. It was a scoreless game until the teams traded power-play goals in the second period. Matt Craig gave the Grizzlies a 1-0 lead 5:13 into the middle frame. Patrick Levesque tied it at the 14:01 mark of the second, redirecting Kim's shot past goaltender Justin Eddy. It stayed 1-1 until Kim ended it 1:27 into the extra frame for his second consecutive game-winner.

GULLS UPDATE:
San Diego (14-12-4) enters the day with 32 points, tied for second in the Pacific Division with the Long Beach Ice Dogs and 10 points back of the front-running Fresno Falcons... The Gulls, however, have two games in hand on the Ice Dogs... San Diego is four points ahead of the fourth-place Bakersfield Condors, but Bakersfield has played four fewer games... San Diego has won three of its last four games and is 13-7-4 in its last 24 games (since getting off to a 1-5-0 start)... During the last four games, the Gulls have killed 34 of 37 penalties (92 percent)... They have scored three short-handed goals during that span, two of them scored by Kim... San Diego is 7-4-3 at home... Including tonight, eight of its next 10 games are at home...

PLAYER NOTES:
Kim, named a runner-up for ECHL Player of the Month honors, is in the midst of a career-high 11-game point streak. He has 19 points (8g, 11a) during that span. His four-game goal-scoring streak was snapped last night against Idaho... He leads the team with a +13 and has 26 total points (12g, 14a) in 17 games with the Gulls... Steve Hildenbrand has 25 points (10g, 15a) in the last 20 games... Richard Keyes has 24 points (8g, 16a) in the last 20 games... Jesse Bennefield has 18 points (9g, 9a) and is a +8 in the last 12 games... Tyler Weiman has won five of his last six decisions and has stopped 185 of 195 shots in that span (.949 save percentage)... He was named a runner-up for ECHL Goaltender of the Week and ECHL Goaltender of the Month...

UTAH UPDATE:
Utah (20-11-2) starts the day third in the West Division with 42 points, seven behind the second-place Alaska Aces and 11 back of the first-place Las Vegas Wranglers... The Grizzlies are two points ahead of the fourth-place Idaho Steelheads, but Idaho has two games in hand... Utah has the sixth-most points in the ECHL, tied with Fresno and Gwinnett... Craig ranks fourth in the ECHL with 21 goals (second among rookies) and tied for eighth with 36 points (fourth among rookies). He's also tied for first overall with five game-winning goals... Ryan Kinasewich is in the midst of a nine-game point streak... The Grizzlies have scored a league-high 45 power-play goals and ranks fourth overall with the man advantage (23 percent)...

TRANSACTIONS:
Alex Rogosheske was placed on the injured list today after sustaining a knee injury last night against the Steelheads... Martin Mandeville was activated from the injured list today... Darren Partch and Kelly Askew were signed yesterday, while Jason Courtemanche and Justin Silver were released Thursday... David Svagrovsky was placed on seven-day IR Wednesday with a tear in his finger... Frantisek Skladany, who began the season with the Gulls, was called up to the NHL's Colorado Avalanche Tuesday. He had been playing with the American Hockey League's Lowell Lock Monsters... Cody McLeod was recalled by Lowell Tuesday... Doug MacIver (knee), Andy Thompson (wrist) and Guillaume Fournier (concussion) all remain on the injured list...

FUTURE HEAD-TO-HEAD MEETINGS (2H, 2A):
Wednesday, Feb. 8 @ Utah (6:05 p.m. PST)
Friday, Feb. 10 @ Utah (6:05 p.m. PST)
Wednesday, Feb. 22 vs. Utah (7:05 p.m. PST)
Saturday, Feb. 25 vs. Utah (7:05 p.m. PST)



ECHL Stories from January 7, 2006


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