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San Diego swoop away with shoot out win

March 19, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Victoria Salmon Kings News Release


Victoria, BC - The Victoria Salmon Kings faced the San Diego Gulls with two straight wins under their belt at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. Despite being in deep water and down 3-1 with just over five minutes remaining in regulation, the Salmon Kings forced extra periods to steal another point from the playoff bound Gulls. San Diego scored in three of the five shoot out attempts to snag the 4-3 win.

The Gulls scored on their first shot of the game at 2:50 into the first period. San Diego won the face off on the right circle in Victoria territory, and Pierre-Luc Sleigher lit the lamp on a blast past screened Goaltender Rob McVicar.

San Diego took a 2-0 lead on the power play with 7:02 left in the first. Defenseman Chris Cava snuck into the slot and finished a pass from Bobby Cunningham off the crossbar for his 6th goal of the season.

The Salmon Kings crept within one goal before the first intermission. With 37 seconds left in the frame, Rookie Taggart Desmet dug out a loose puck from a Jade Galbraith shot, and spotted Defenseman Nate Forster on the right side of the crease. Forster scored his 17th point of the season and made it a 2-1 game.

McVicar stopped 10 San Diego shots in the scoreless second period to keep the game close.

Pierre-Luc Sleigher posted his second goal of the contest at 1:25 into the third period and cushioned the Gulls lead. Ryan Wade capitalized on the Victoria power play with 5:10 left in regulation. Desmet tallied his second assist of the night setting up Wade for his 17th goal of the season and closing the gap to 3-2 for the Gulls.

Just 47 seconds later, Victoria tied the game 3-3. Seth Leonard swooped into San Diego territory and scored his 9th goal of the season, and forced the final game of the series into Overtime.

The Overtime period was scoreless, which led to the fifth Shoot Out at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in 2006.

McVicar stopped the first attack from the Gulls, deflecting Mark Wires in the first shoot out attempt. Netminder Mike Mole reached out glove side to keep Salmon Kings first shooter Ryan Wade off the board. Sleigher opened the shoot out scoring, which was matched by Galbraith. San Diego's lead scorer Steve Hildenbrand added another, and so did Victoria leading scorer Lanny Gare. The Gulls Winger and fourth shooter Bobby Cunningham sealed San Diego's 29th win, as both Desmet and Leonard went wide of the net.

Victoria was 2-5 on the power play and San Diego scored once out of two attempts with the extra man. Mole grabbed his 16th win and McVicar earned a point in his first shoot out loss. Victoria out shot San Diego 27-25.

NOTES:

The Salmon Kings earned 5 out of a possible 6 points in the San Diego series.

Seth Leonard scored a goal in two consecutive games.

Taggart Desmet posted 5 points in his first three professional games.

San Diego earned a playoff spot with the point from the Overtime loss in game one of the series.

Victoria plays the first of seven consecutive road games on Tuesday, March 20. The trip begins in Phoenix, then to Long Beach for a Wednesday game. A two game weekend series stop in Stockton follows with a single game in Fresno on Monday, March 27. The Salmon Kings return home briefly before heading to Alaska for a two game series starting March 31, and then play the final two games of the season at home versus Utah on April 7th and 8th.

As part of Fan Appreciation Weekend at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Friday, April 7th and Saturday, April 8th, Season Ticket holders have the opportunity to trade in their unused tickets for a valid ticket. Exchangeable tickets must be from a game that has already occurred, and are subject to availability.

In addition, the Victoria Salmon Kings will revive a fan favourite-the "Shirt off our Backs" promotion.

Tickets for all Salmon Kings home games are available from Select Your Tickets at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, online at www.selectyourtickets.com or by phone at 250-220-7777. To purchase Season tickets for 2006/2007 or Group packages please contact Devin Mazur or Tom Tompkins at 250-220-2610.



ECHL Stories from March 19, 2006


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