Vegas Trounces Gulls, 7-2

Published on December 27, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


LAS VEGAS - The San Diego Gulls ran into the hottest team in the ECHL Tuesday night in the Las Vegas Wranglers, who entered the day with a 10-game winning streak. Well... you can make it 11 straight wins for the Wranglers after they trounced the Gulls 7-2 Tuesday night at the Orleans Arena.

Things started out ok for the Gulls (11-10-4) after they took a 1-0 lead early in the contest. But it was all downhill from there, as Vegas (22-4-2) notched seven unanswered goals. Charles Linglet, Matt Dzieduszycki and Dan Tudin each notched three points to lead the offensive attack for the Wranglers, who are also unbeaten in their last 17 games (16-0-1).

Jesse Bennefield gave the Gulls a 1-0 lead 4:43 into the first period with his ninth goal of the season. After grabbing a pass from Grady Moore, Bennefield skated in on a partial breakaway and beat Wranglers goaltender Mike McKenna. Alex Kim also assisted on the play, extending his point streak to six games.

The lead was short-lived however, as Las Vegas erupted for three consecutive goals to close out the first period. Derek Edwardson struck first just 17 seconds after Bennefield's goal, redirecting Linglet's shot past Gulls netminder Tom Lawson, who was re-assigned by the American Hockey League's Lowell Lock Monsters Tuesday. It was Edwardson's 12th tally of the year.

Mike McBain hit the board next for his first marker of the season, beating a screened Lawson from the left point at the 17:47 mark. Tudin then gave the Wranglers a 3-1 lead with a power-play goal at 19:04. Edwardson and Linglet assisted on the play, both their second points of the night.

Las Vegas tacked on three more in the second period, taking a commanding 6-1 lead. Linglet notched his third point of the night and third goal of the season at 6:57, picking Todd Alexander's pass out of mid-air and redirecting it behind Lawson.

Dzieduszycki and Tudin connected on back-to-back goals later in the frame to give the Wranglers their five-goal cushion. Dzieduszycki, who also assisted on McBain's first-period goal, tickled the twine first at 14:12, finishing off a give-and-go from Tudin for his 11th marker. Then it was Tudin's turn 16 seconds later, tipping Dzieduszycki's centering pass past a beleaguered Lawson for his second goal of the game - 12th of the season. It was both Tudin's and Dzieduszycki's third point of the game.

With the game out of hand, tempers flared big-time midway through the third period. Referee Max Battimo had to whistle a combined 58 minutes in penalties (80 total in the stanza), which even included a fight between both goaltenders at center ice. Lawson and McKenna were also both ejected, along with Bennefield.

Thomas Bellemare scored Vegas' seventh straight goal and third power-play tally at the 11:29 mark of the third, beating Aaron McKenzie, who entered the game after Lawson was ejected. San Diego's Steve Hildenbrand capped the night's scoring with a power-play marker at 16:51.

Notes: The ECHL record for consecutive wins in 14.... The Gulls have only lost two of their last seven road games (4-2-1)... San Diego is now 10-5-4 over its last 19 games since opening the season 1-5-0... In those 19 games, 10 have been decided by one goal and five have been decided by two goals... Kim has 11 points during his six-game point streak (4g, 7a)... Bennefield has points in six of the last seven games... Lawson was re-assigned by Lowell, while fellow netminder Tyler Weiman was recalled by the Lock Monsters... Guillaume Fournier was activated from the injured list after missing the last three games with concussion-like symptoms...

San Diego's road trip continues with a trio of games slated this weekend in Boise, Idaho. The Gulls and Steelheads will meet Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with all games scheduled for 6:10 p.m. (PST).* The Gulls' next home game is Wednesday, Jan. 4 against the Alaska Aces, which starts a four-game homestand. 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 (All upcoming games CAN BE VIEWED). Click the B2 Networks (Watch the Game Live) link on the home page for a list of the upcoming telecasted games. To view pictures from this season, visit www.zerodogentertainment.com.

*Note that Thursday's and Friday's games in Boise will be tape-delayed on KLSD and will begin airing at 7 p.m. (PST). Saturday's game will air live. All three games will broadcast live on B2 Networks.

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ECHL Stories from December 27, 2005


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