Stockton Stuns Gulls In OT, 3-2

January 27, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


SAN DIEGO - Nathan Martz blasted home a slap shot 25 seconds into overtime, leading the Stockton Thunder to a 3-2 victory over the San Diego Gulls Friday night, before 5,068 at the ipayOne Center.

Martz's goal came one second after San Diego's Steve Hildenbrand finished serving a two-minute delay-of-game penalty. Joel Irwin, who earned an assist on the game-winner, scored both of Stockton's goals in regulation.

The Gulls (18-16-5) out-shot the Thunder (7-22-5) by a 43-28 margin, but All-Star netminder Jake Moreland stood tall all game long. He also got some help by the post in the first period, as two Richard Keyes shots clanked off Moreland's best friend.

San Diego still gains one point, but falls four behind the second-place Long Beach Ice Dogs, who defeated Fresno in a shootout Friday. Stockton still sits in the Pacific Division cellar, but breaks a six-game winless streak.

After a scoreless first period, Stockton finally drew first blood 6:20 into the second on Irwin's first goal of the night. Irwin, skating down the right wing, took a pass from All-Star Mike Lalonde and beat San Diego netminder Tyler Weiman on a slapper that banged in off the crossbar.

The Gulls tied it at 11:04 of the second on Pierre-Luc Sleigher's 13th marker. After taking a feed from Martin Mandeville, Sleigher busted down the left wing, cruised into the slot and punched a shot past Moreland. Sleigher has now lit the lamp in three straight games and has four goals in that span.

Irwin and Lalonde connected again about 2:30 later, however, regaining Stockton's advantage at 2-1. Lalonde, standing just inside the Thunder blue line, found his linemate wide-open and Irwin was off to the races, eventually making a nice move to his forehand before slipping it past Weiman.

David Svagrovsky, who was activated from the injured list earlier in the day, made it a 2-2 game 3:01 into the third period, backhanding a shot behind Moreland. It was his third goal of the season, two of which have come against the Thunder.

That's how the game stayed until Martz won it in overtime. Irwin made a cross-ice pass to the right point, where Martz beat Weiman top-shelf. It was his eighth goal of the season.



ECHL Stories from January 27, 2006


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