San Diego Tries To Extend Winning Streak To Four
December 11, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
SAN DIEGO â The San Diego Gulls, who won their 500th game in club history Thursday, look to continue their dominance at home tonight as they again host the Alaska Aces. The two West Division rivals will also square off at the Sports Arena tomorrow.
SERIES HISTORY:
The Gulls and Aces have met five times so far this season with San Diego holding a 3-1-0 series edge. The two teams will meet four more times during the regular season. San Diego and Alaska met 10 times last season with the Gulls holding a 6-3-1 edge. The Aces eliminated the Gulls in a three-game sweep during last season's Kelly Cup Playoffs.
2004-05 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES:
10/29/04 San Diego 2 @ Alaska 3 (Shootout)
10/30/04 San Diego 1 @ Alaska 4
10/31/04 San Diego 5 @ Alaska 2
11/3/04 Alaska 3 @ San Diego 4 (Shootout)
12/9/04 Alaska 2 @ San Diego 5
San Diego owns the all-time series match-up, posting a 66-18-6 record against its West Division rival. The Gulls are 38-3-1 all-time against the Aces at the Sports Arena.
LAST HEAD-TO-HEAD MEETING (DEC. 9 VS. AK):
The Gulls continued their hot play at home with a 5-2 win against the Aces, the club's 500th victory in franchise history (which includes the playoffs). Mark Pederson and Guillaume Fournier led the way, each recording a goal and an assist. NHL veteran Curtis Brown scored his first goal in a San Diego uniform and Trevor Koenig was steady in net, turning aside 22 of 24 shots. The Gulls opened a 2-0 lead before Alaska got on the board. San Diego quickly responded with three answered goals and cruised the rest of the way.
GULLS UPDATE:
The Gulls (9-6-2) enter the day sixth in the West Division with 20 points, nine behind the first-place Bakersfield Condors... San Diego, however, is only five points out of second place and has games in hand on every team ahead in the standings... The Gulls have played four fewer games than Alaska (tied for third place); three fewer than the Idaho Steelheads (second place), Las Vegas Wranglers (tied for third place) and Long Beach Ice Dogs (fifth place); and two fewer than Bakersfield... They have the third-best winning percentage in the division... San Diego is 8-1-1 at home this season, but just 1-5-1 on the road... In their nine wins, the Blue and Orange have outscored their opponents 46-19. They've been outscored 26-9 in their eight losses (which includes an overtime and shootout loss)... The Gulls were also 9-6-2 through 17 games last season... So far San Diego is 5-1-0 on its nine-game homestand...
OTHER NOTES:
San Diego's all-time record is 500-174-45, which includes both the regular season and playoffs (.727 winning percentage). That includes its eight seasons in the West Coast Hockey League (1995-96 through 2002-03)... Max Birbraer has a goal in four straight games and has six points (4g, 2a) during that span... Sean O'Connor has five points (3g, 2a) in his last three games... Darren Clark leads the team with 16 points overall (6g, 10a). He also leads the Gulls with a plus-minus rating of +9... The Gulls have already won three games when trailing after two periods. Last year they only won twice, heading into the third period trailing...
ALASKA UPDATE:
Alaska (11-9-1) begins the day tied for third in the West Division with Las Vegas, six points back of Bakersfield... The Aces have already played 21 games, most in the division... NHLer Scott Gomez, who signed with Alaska in late October, didn't make the trip to San Diego. He, along with many other NHL stars, is in Europe participating in a charity hockey tournament... Alaska is 0-4-0 without Gomez in the lineup... Chris Minard (11g, 6a) and Mike Scott (6g, 11a) are tied for the team lead with 17 points... The Aces have the third-worst power play in the ECHL, clicking at only 11.6 percent. They did, however, score two power-play goals Thursday... Alaska's penalty killing is ranked 21st (82.6 percent)...
TRANSACTIONS:
Mathieu Chouinard was loaned to the American Hockey League's Cincinnati Mighty Ducks yesterday... Cincinnati assigned goaltender Eddy Ferhi yesterday... Sean Murphy, suffering from a fractured knuckle, remains on the 30-day injured list...
FUTURE HEAD-TO-HEAD MEETINGS:
Sunday, Dec. 12 vs. Alaska (5:05 PST)
Wednesday, Dec. 29 @ Alaska (8:15 PST)
Friday, Dec. 31 @ Alaska (8:15 PST)
Sunday, March 13 vs. Alaska (5:05 PST)
• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...
ECHL Stories from December 11, 2004
- Steelheads double down on Vegas, 4-2 - Idaho Steelheads
- 'Blades fall to Stingrays 3-0 - Florida Everblades
- Chiefs Topple Bullies 5-4 In Overtime - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- Gators end trip with 4-0 loss at Pee Dee - Louisiana IceGators
- Titans Sweep Storm, 5-2 - Trenton Devils
- Pride Pick-Up Another Shut-Out - Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz
- Bombers battle back before falling short in Peoria, 4-3 - Dayton Bombers
- Gladiators get burned by Inferno, 3-2 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Rivermen Come Back to Win 4-3 over Dayton at Home - Peoria Rivermen
- Maxwell signs Veteren Backstop - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Left wing Valeev Reassigned to the Worcester IceCats - Peoria Rivermen
- Salmon Kings Watson placed on IR - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Hockey Night in Augusta - Augusta Lynx
- San Diego Tries To Extend Winning Streak To Four - San Diego Gulls
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Teddy Bear Toss On Saturday - Augusta Lynx
- Salmon Kings win big - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Four-goal Gwinnett first period foils Checkers 5-2 - Charlotte Checkers
- Falcons Win a Shootout Thriller - Fresno Falcons
- Ice Dogs Tame Grrrowl, Win 4-2 - Long Beach Ice Dogs
- Fresno Holds On for Shootout Win, 5-4 - Bakersfield Condors
- Steelheads beat Wranglers in nailbiter, 3-2 - Idaho Steelheads
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.
