Stockton Thunders Past San Diego, 4-2
April 9, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - Maris Ziedins scored two goals, including a short-hander early in the third period, giving the Stockton Thunder a 4-2 victory over the San Diego Gulls before a sellout crowd Saturday night at Stockton Arena.
In the regular season finale for both teams, Thunder goaltender Jake Moreland stopped 45 shots to help Stockton (18-40-14) finish with a 3-3-1 record against San Diego (34-30-8) this year. In its first full season of existence, the expansion Thunder placed fifth in the five-team Pacific Division, 26 points back of the Gulls and the final post-season berth.
San Diego will enter next week's playoffs on a 0-2-2 streak, having lost two straight. The Gulls are set to open the post-season Tuesday in Fresno for the first game of a best-of-seven series with the Pacific Division champion Falcons.
Ziedins finished with a three-point night (2g, 1a), while Ned Havern and Aaron Foster each added one score and an assist for the Thunder. San Diego actually out-shot Stockton by a 47-37 margin, but Moreland was unstoppable between the pipes. The netminder won his 14th match of the season by robbing the Gulls on numerous chances from in close.
His counterpart, San Diego rookie goaltender Kris Mayotte, made 33 saves for his first professional loss in four games (2-1-1).
The Thunder jumped ahead 1-0 with an early goal in the first period, at 2:27. But only 22 seconds later, the Gulls came right back to tie it at 1-1. Steve Hildenbrand stole the puck at center ice and beat Moreland on a breakaway for his 29th goal of the season - a new career high.
In the second period, both teams traded power-play tallies. Bobby Cunningham's 10th score of the year gave San Diego its first and only lead of the night at 2-1 with 8:34 remaining. That advantage was short-lived, however, as the Thunder responded only 2:16 later. Ziedins first goal of the match and 16th of the season made it all square again, 2-2.
The final period belonged to Moreland, as the goalie turned aside all 19 shots he faced. The Stockton offense, meanwhile, put two pucks in the net. The game-winner came off the stick of Ziedins, short-handed just 41 seconds into the final frame. Foster capped the victory with an empty netter with 52 seconds left to send the sellout crowd home happy.
Notes: San Diego finished 14-20-2 on the road this season... The Gulls are still unbeaten in 17 of their last 24 games overall (14-7-3)... Their loss was the first in regulation against Stockton this season (4-1-2)... San Diego is in the process of finalizing its playoff roster. The team is allowed 22 players for the post-season... Saturday night's game was originally scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m., but the start was pushed back to 7:30 p.m.... The Gulls rested three regulars against the Thunder - defenseman Grady Moore and forwards Alex Kim and Jesse Bennefield...
San Diego is set to meet Fresno in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs beginning Tuesday at Save Mart Center, with the contest slated to begin at 7:30 p.m. Games 1 and 2 will be in Fresno on Tuesday and Wednesday before the series shifts back to San Diego on Friday, April 14; Saturday, April 15 and (if necessary) Monday, April 17.
All games can be heard on KLSD 1360AM and www.sandiegogulls.com with Chris Ello calling the play-by-play. Most games can also be viewed on the Gulls' web site, courtesy of B2 Networks. Click the B2 Networks (Watch the Game Live) link on the home page for a list of the upcoming viewable games. To view pictures from this season, visit www.zerodogentertainment.com.
ECHL Stories from April 9, 2006
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Playoffs Begin At Home On Monday - South Carolina Stingrays
- Royals Announce First Round Playoff Schedule - Reading Royals
- Wranglers Gulutzan named Coach of the Year - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Grizzlies Play First Post-Season Games Since 2003 - Utah Grizzlies
- Grrrowl down Lynx with power play goal - Augusta Lynx
- South Carolina's Fitzsimmons Fined - ECHL
- Las Vegas' Gulutzan Receives John Brophy Award - ECHL
- Checkers end regular season with 3-2 loss - Charlotte Checkers
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Condors Earn Home Ice in Round One of Kelly Cup Playoffs - Bakersfield Condors
- Powerful finish for the Salmon Kings - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Thunder topples San Diego in 4-2 win, clinches ECHL attendance crown - Stockton Thunder
- Falcons Enter Playoffs on a Winning Note - Fresno Falcons
- Stockton Thunders Past San Diego, 4-2 - San Diego Gulls
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.
