Golden Eagles Fell Gulls in a Shootout

So much work, so much hoopla, and so little to show for it.

Five consecutive losses in their longest home stand wasn’t how the Gulls wanted to be remembered before leaving on a two-game trip to Phoenix. But the Gulls were lucky Wednesday night even to get a point.

Despite a determined goalie and a fired-up defense that forced a five-minute overtime and a shootout, the Gulls fell to Salt Lake, 3-2, at the Sports Arena. They earned one point in the standings for an overtime loss.

The last time the Gulls (24-29-6) were in a shootout--Nov. 9 against Kansas City--10 players took shots and they won.

This time, veteran Ron Duguay was faced with the deciding shot, and he couldn’t get it past goalie Warren Sharples.

It was Gull goalie Alain Chevrier’s first shootout.

It was the Gulls’ eighth loss in a row at home, their ninth in their last 10. Salt Lake won its sixth straight and improved to 31-22-4.

Salt Lake led 2-0 after a scoreless second period, but the Gulls staged a comeback.

Darcy Norton started it with a short-handed goal, their second of the home stand, at 3:38. From the slot, Duguay slipped the puck to the right circle. Norton went with it, skated back to the slot and fired it past Salt Lake goalie Warren Sharples.

At 9:36, the Gulls’ leading goal scorer, Darren Lowe, got his 18th, also the tying goal. Teammate Larry Floyd was able to maneuver the puck from the boards, past the right wing and to the slot, where Lowe flipped the puck into the middle of the net.

The Gulls outshot Salt Lake 23-16 in the first two periods, but the Golden Eagles made short work of it.

Sharples and a slew of defenders broke up seven shots on goal with two-plus minutes to play and the Gulls on the power play.

A wayward pass from Charlie Simmer resulted in Salt Lake’s first goal of the night.

Marc Bureau tallied his 35th IHL goal at 6:40. In what looked like an attempt to clear the puck, Simmer gave it away. Bureau took a clean swipe from 20 feet out and the puck cleared Chevrier’s right shoulder.

As the period wound down, captain Al Tuer could do nothing to close down the Golden Eagles next goal. All the defenseman could do was watch, as Bureau slipped a bull’s-eye pass to C.J. Young from the left to right circle.

Tuer had a step lead on Young, but was rendered helpless as Young took the pass behind Tuer’s skate. With 31 seconds left he made the winning shot from 10 feet out.

In regulation, the Gulls outshot Salt Lake, 33-28.

Gull Notes

It’s all but official. According to Gulls General Manager Don Waddell, the financially troubled Albany franchise will fold today. Albany owner David Weckler moved the Fort Wayne (Ind.) franchise, the oldest in the IHL, to New York this year, but attendance was low and he was having problems making his payroll.

The Gulls were scheduled to play the Choppers six more times this year. Now, they must reschedule other opponents for those games and play an extra road game.

Waddell said he is interested in several Albany players--center Joe Stefan, left wing Nick Beaulieu and two defenseman--all of whom become free agents.