San Diego Tries To Snap Six-Game Losing Streak

February 18, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


The San Diego Gulls are finally back home after a long, grueling road trip and look to get healthy against the visiting Victoria Salmon Kings when the two Northern Conference rivals meet at the ipayOne Center Saturday Night.

SERIES HISTORY: The Gulls and Salmon Kings have met once so far this season with Victoria holding a 1-0-0 series edge. The teams square off three more times during the regular season, all in Victoria.

2005-06 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES:
11/23/05 Victoria 4 @ San Diego 2

San Diego owns the all-time series match-up, posting a 4-3-1 record against its Northern Conference rival. The Gulls are 1-1-1 all-time against the Salmon Kings at the ipayOne Center.

LAST HEAD-TO-HEAD MEETING (NOV. 23 VS. VICTORIA): Kurt Drummond scored two power-play goals in the second period and netminder David Currie stopped 29 shots, leading the Salmon Kings to a 4-2 win over the Gulls on Nov. 23. With Victoria already leading 1-0, Drummond scored back-to-back power-play markers in the second period, making it a 3-0 game. San Diego came back with two straight power-play tallies in the third period, but Adam Taylor sealed the Victoria victory with 2:50 left in regulation.

GULLS UPDATE: San Diego (19-22-5) enters the day fourth in the Pacific Division with 43 points, six behind the third-place Bakersfield Condors... The Gulls are, however, 19 points ahead of the Stockton Thunder for the final playoff spot in the division... San Diego has fallen on hard times, going winless on its six-game road trip... Its six-game road losing streak is a franchise record... The franchise record for longest overall winless streak is seven, set back in 1999-00... Four of the six losses on the losing streak have been decided by one goal... The Gulls have killed 39 of 43 penalties during the last eight games (90.7 percent) and 112 of 126 over their last 20 matches (88.9 percent)... Their power play has struggled, going 8-for-90 in the last 15 games (8.9 percent)... San Diego has not skated with a full lineup of 16 skaters in its last five games... The Gulls are 11-7-4 at home this season...

PLAYER NOTES: Team captain Jonathon Shockey will be playing in his 500th professional game tonight (and 103rd as a Gull). He has 18 points this season (3g, 15a) and is only three points shy of his single-season career high, set in 2002-03 with Idaho... Steve Hildenbrand has points in three straight games (1g, 4a)... Jesse Bennefield has four points in his last three games (3g, 1a)... Tom Lawson has lost six of his last seven starts, but has stopped 224 of 244 shots in that span (.918 save percentage)... Five regulars remain out of the lineup with injuries (Guillaume Fournier - concussion, Richard Keyes - groin pull, Alex Kim - collar bone, Kelly Askew - broken ankle and Alex Rogosheske - torn ACL)...

VICTORIA UPDATE: Victoria (16-29-5) starts the day with 37 points, tied for fifth in the West Division with the Phoenix Roadrunners... The Salmon Kings are 23 points back of the Utah Grizzlies for the fourth and final playoff spot in the division... Victoria is winless in six straight games (0-4-2) and 10 of its last 11 overall (1-6-4)... During their last 11 games the Salmon Kings have been outscored 41-22 and have been shut out four times... The Salmon Kings, however, have already eclipsed their win and point total from last season (15 wins and 35 points), their inaugural year in the ECHL... Lanny Gare leads the club with 43 points (17g, 26a)...

TRANSACTIONS: Sebastien Fortier, who last played professionally in 1999-00 with San Diego, was signed today, along with Matt Kunsman... Grady Moore was activated from the injured list today... Keyes was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to Feb. 5... Fournier, who was transferred to the 30-day IR Wednesday, is likely out for the year... R.J. Enga was placed on the seven-day IR Wednesday as well... David Svagrovsky and Tyler Weiman remain with Lowell of the American Hockey League...

FUTURE HEAD-TO-HEAD MEETINGS (0H, 3A):
Wednesday, Mar. 15 at Victoria (7 p.m. PST)
Friday, Mar. 17 at Victoria (7 p.m. PST)
Saturday, Mar. 18 at Victoria (7 p.m. PST)



ECHL Stories from February 18, 2006


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