Golden Eagles Keep Gull Scorers Out In the Cold : Hockey: San Diego can’t get its slumping offense going. Salt Lake wins 3-1.

A week of rest did the Gulls a world of good.

It was as if they had spent their time off shoveling snow rather than working on their tans, as it seemed to have a numbing effect on their offense.

In any event, the Gulls’ scoring units took a sabbatical Friday night in a 3-1 International Hockey League loss to the Salt Lake Golden Eagles at the Sports Arena.

“We had just as many chances as they did,” said Gull center Larry Floyd. “We just didn’t capitalize on them.”

Their first goal proved to be their last.

In the first period, the Gulls produced their most exciting play of the night, a goal by Charlie Simmer, which tied the game at 1-1.

They weren’t heard from again.

Todd Harkins scored at 15:46 in the first for a 2-1 Salt Lake lead after one period.

Salt Lake’s C.J. Young closed the scoring in the second when the puck got away from Gull Mike Sullivan. Young chipped it in from the right wing at 15:35, for the 3-1 final.

The Gulls had plenty of chances, but they could not produce a goal.

Salt Lake goalie Steve Guenette stopped 28 of the Gulls’ 29 shots.

Production by the Gulls became a one-man show, with goalie Scott Brower in the lead role. He stopped 27 of Salt Lake’s 30 shots.

“When the team’s not scoring, I have to try even harder not to let them score,” he said.

Gull Coach Mike O’Connell has strongly criticized his team for lack of concentration and communication, among other things.

But Friday, he said it simply was the matter of a loss to one of the IHL’s best teams.

“You’re not going to get into a shootout with people who have as powerful an offense as they did against us,” he said.

For the seventh time in eight road games, the Golden Eagles scored first. On the flip side, it was the 48th time in 70 games the Gulls allowed the first goal.

Twenty-one seconds after the faceoff, Darryl Olsen scored the earliest goal the Gulls have allowed this season.

At 4:16 in the first, the Gulls tied the game on a play that took officials the better part of the period to figure out to whom the goal belonged.

The play began just inside the blue line, with a Floyd slap shot from the right of the slot. The puck deflected off Darren Lowe, then sailed high in the air before catching the tip of Simmer’s stick.

Guenette crouched down for the save, but the puck flew over his head and landed in the bottom of the net.

Only 12 games remain before playoffs are upon the Gulls (27-36-7), and San Diego remains four points ahead of Milwaukee, the team the Gulls are battling for the last playoff spot.

Salt Lake (29-24-5), the Gulls’ opponent Sunday night at 6:05 at the Sports Arena, is in second place in the West.

Gulls Notes

In preparation for Tuesday’s playoff roster deadline, when the Gulls must have their roster trimmed to 26, right wing Byron Lomow and defensemen Rob MacInnis and Dean Morton were placed on waivers Friday. Once the playoff roster is set, no changes can be made.