San Diego Looks To Break Three-Game Home Losing Skid

January 28, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


Saturday, Jan. 28
SAN DIEGO GULLS (18-16-5) VS. FRESNO FALCONS (23-7-9)
Time: 7:05 p.m.
Venue: ipayOne Center
Radio: KLSD (1360AM)
TV: B2 Networks (www.sandiegogulls.com)

SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Gulls, coming off a tough overtime loss to Stockton Friday, look to stem the tide against the Pacific-Division leading Fresno Falcons Saturday night when the two clash at the ipayOne Center.

SERIES HISTORY: The Gulls and Falcons have met three times so far this season with Fresno holding a 3-0-0 series edge. The two teams will square off twice more during the regular season, one in each city.

2005-06 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES:
11/12/05 San Diego 3 @ Fresno 4 (shootout)
11/19/05 San Diego 1 @ Fresno 3
11/27/05 Fresno 4 @ San Diego 3 (overtime)

San Diego owns the all-time series match-up, posting a 74-35-8 record against its Pacific Division rival. The Gulls are 43-12-4 all-time against the Falcons at the ipayOne Center.

LAST HEAD-TO-HEAD MEETING (NOV. 27 VS. FRESNO): Luke Curtin scored two late goals, including the game-winner 3:08 into overtime, as the Falcons snuck past the Gulls 4-3. San Diego led 2-1 entering the third period and then 3-2 late in the game, but couldn't hold either advantage. Curtin sent the match into OT on a score with 4:05 remaining in regulation and then won it with a wrist shot from the right-wing circle that beat Tyler Weiman. Richard Keyes finished with three points (1g, 2a), while Steve Hildenbrand added two assists for the Gulls.

GULLS UPDATE: San Diego (18-16-5) enters the day third in the Pacific Division with 41 points, four behind the second-place Long Beach Ice Dogs and 14 back of the front-running Falcons... The Gulls are four points ahead of the fourth-place Condors, but Bakersfield has four games in hand... San Diego has one game in hand on Long Beach... The Gulls have split their last five games (2-2-1) and are 17-11-5 in their last 33 games overall (since starting the season 1-5-0)... During the last 14 games, the Gulls have killed 82 of 92 penalties (89 percent)... They have scored seven short-handed goals during that span... San Diego is 10-7-4 at home... After tonight's game, San Diego will play its next six games on the road...

PLAYER NOTES: Hildenbrand has points in six of his last eight games and has 33 points (12g, 21a) in his last 28 games... Keyes has 32 points (12g, 20a) in the last 29 games... All-Star Jesse Bennefield has 29 points (15g, 14a) in the last 21 games. Bennefield had an assist at the All-Star Game Wednesday and was the fastest skater at the Skills Competition Tuesday... Pierre-Luc Sleigher has points in 11 of the last 13 games and has 19 points in that span (8g, 11a)... Tyler Weiman lost in regulation only three times in his last 11 decisions and has stopped 351 of 380 shots in that span (.924 save percentage)... Tom Lawson has won two of his last three, stopping 89 of 97 shots (.918 save percentage)...

FRESNO UPDATE: Fresno (23-7-9) starts the day first in the Pacific Division with 55 points, 10 ahead of the second-place Ice Dogs and 14 in front of San Diego... The Falcons fell in overtime to Long Beach last night, but have only lost in regulation four times in their last 29 games overall (17-4-8)... Their overtime/shootout losses are the second most in the ECHL (South Carolina leads the league with 10)... Curtin, who was named MVP of the All-Star Game Wednesday, leads the team with 48 points (15g, 33a)... Fellow All-Star Brett Jaeger is 3-0-0 against the Gulls this season with a 2.23 goals-against average. Lifetime against San Diego, Jaeger is 7-2-1 with a 2.54 GAA and .923 save percentage...

TRANSACTIONS: David Svagrovsky was activated from the injured list yesterday after missing 10 games with a tear in his finger... Five players remain out of the lineup: Alex Kim (broken collar bone), Kelly Askew (broken foot), Guillaume Fournier (concussion), Alex Rogosheske (torn ACL) and Andy Thompson (recovering from wrist surgery)... Cody McLeod remains with Lowell of the American Hockey League...

FUTURE HEAD-TO-HEAD MEETINGS (1H, 1A):
Friday, Mar. 10 @ FRE (7 p.m.)
Sunday, Mar. 12 vs. FRE (5:05 p.m.)



ECHL Stories from January 28, 2006


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