Stingrays Nip Gulls in Shootout, 5-4

Published on February 28, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


SAN DIEGO – The Gulls struggles outside of their division continued Saturday, as the Blue and Orange dropped a close one to the South Carolina Stingrays, 5-4 in a shootout. The Stingrays got two power-play goals from Curtis Huppe and Andy Powers netted the deciding score on the seventh attempt of the overtime shootout, giving South Carolina the two points.

Sylvain Deschatelets was in the penalty box for both of the Stingrays power-play goals but atoned for it with a late goal to tie the game, but South Carolina goalie Kirk Daubenspeck came up big during the shootout and the Gulls dropped another close one to an eastern team.

San Diego (36-12-8) has been virtually unbeatable against their former WCHL foes this season, but the rest of the ECHL has proven much more challenging. They are just 3-3-3 against non-Pacific Division teams and now fall four points behind the Wheeling Nailers for the best record in the league. The Blue and Orange still lead the Western Conference by four points over the Louisiana IceGators and lead the Pacific Division by six points over Las Vegas. South Carolina (31-20-3) remains in fourth place in the Southern Conference, 13 points behind the division-leading Columbia Inferno.

The Stingrays drew first blood, 4:46 into the first period, on Aaron Power's fourth goal of the season. Ed Courtenay fed Power, who launched a slap shot from the slot that beat Trevor Koenig for the game's first score.

The Gulls evened things up, just 1:40 later, on an unassisted tally by Mike Garrow. Garrow intercepted a South Carolina clearing pass, spun and launched a slap shot from the blue line that beat Daubenspeck. The goal was Garrow's 13th of the season, tops on the team among defensemen.

South Carolina found the back of the net once more, however, 9:07 into the first, when left-winger Robin Gomez lit the lamp to put the Stingrays back on top, 2-1. Gomez slapped a wrister from the right circle that beat Koenig high on his blocker side for his ninth goal of the season. Jeff Boulanger garnered an assist on the goal, his eighth of the year.

The Stingrays continued to nurse the one-goal lead throughout the first half of the second period until Deschatelets was whistled for hooking, 10:27 into the frame. South Carolina was quick to take advantage when Huppe notched the power-play goal just 20 seconds later. Dave Seitz directed a cross-ice pass through traffic in front of the net to Huppe, who knocked home the one-timer to put the Stingrays up, 3-1.

Chris Gobert brought San Diego back to within one, 13:01 into the middle frame, tallying his 14th goal of the season. Evgueni Nourislamov fed Gobert at the top of the left circle and the rookie center launched a wrister that beat Daubenspeck high on his glove side.

The comeback continued when Billy Tibbetts tied the game at three with his 16th goal of the season, 14:59 into the second. Tibbetts stole the puck near the San Diego blue line and pushed it up the ice into the South Carolina zone on a two-on-one break with Deschatelets. Tibbetts fed Deschatelets, drawing Daubenspeck out of position, then took the puck right back and pushed a wrister that hit the right post. He quickly recovered the rebound and dumped a backhander into the South Carolina net.

Deschatelets found himself in the box once again, 2:36 into the third, and once again Huppe made him pay. After a roughing call gave South Carolina the extra man for the third time, Huppe's slap shot from the slot netted him his second power-play goal of the night, putting the Stingrays back on top, 4-3.

Daubenspeck came up big throughout the final period, turning away 14 Gulls' shots, but with just 14 seconds remaining in regulation, Deschatelets redeemed himself, tying the game with his 17th tally of the year. Tibbetts threw the puck at the net from the left circle and Deschatelets, who was waiting just outside the crease, picked up the rebound and slid it home for the goal, sending the game to overtime.

After a scoreless overtime, the two teams went to the shootout. Both teams failed to light the lamp in their first five attempts before Kevin Spiewak beat Koenig on the Stingrays sixth shot. Nourislamov countered with a score of his own for the Gulls, but Powers put an end to things with a tally for the Stingrays on their seventh chance.

Notes: Koenig is now third among ECHL goaltenders with 26 wins. He entered Saturday with the fourth-best goals-against-average in the league. Koenig is unbeaten in 17 of his last 18 starts (11-1-6)... Deschatelets is riding a career-high 10-game point streak... He has 47 points (12g, 35a) in his last 31 games... Barber has 39 points (14g, 25a) in his last 26 games and is tied for the ECHL rookie lead with 60 points overall... The Gulls are unbeaten in 20 of their last 22 games (15-2-5) and 33 of their last 38 (27-5-6), outscoring their opponents 136-89... San Diego is now 3-3-3 against teams outside its division... San Diego has gone to overtime in seven of their last 15 games (2-0-5)... Josh Gratton remains with American Hockey League's Mighty Ducks... Mark Pederson, who was struck in the face by a Cliff Loya slap shot Friday night, was scratched Saturday... Samy Nasreddine returned to action after missing Friday's game due to a knee injury suffered in Fresno Wednesday night. Dennis Purdie (sprained shoulder) and Kevin Grant (neck strain) both remain on the injured list...

The Gulls now embark on another three-game Central Division road trip, which starts Friday against the Pensacola Ice Pilots. San Diego then moves on to play the Texas Wildcatters Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7. Friday's game begins at 5:05 p.m. PST, but will be tape delayed on KPOP 1360AM until 7 p.m. (PST). Saturday's game starts at 5:05 p.m. (PST) and Sunday's game begins at 3:05 p.m. (PST). Both of those games will air live on KPOP 1360AM and www.sandiegogulls.com with Chris Ello calling the play-by-play. The next edition of the Gulls Internet Radio show, hosted by Tera Black and Jeremy Zager on wsRadio.com, will air live Monday, March 8 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. To view pictures from this season, visit www.sdgullsphotos.com and www.zerodogentertainment.com.

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ECHL Stories from February 28, 2004


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