True Gets 2 Goals for Gulls : Hockey: Right wing sparks a 4-2 victory over Salt Lake in International Hockey League opener.

The Gulls, who finished their inaugural season in reverse, started the 1991-92 International Hockey League campaign in a different gear.

Drive.

The Gulls, who lost 18 of their last 20 games and nine in a row at home last season, posted a 4-2 victory Thursday over the Salt Lake Golden Eagles in front of 4,301 at the San Diego Sports Arena.

The Gulls, who didn’t start training camp until two weeks ago and were expected to take some lumps early, got two goals from Soren True, a right wing on loan from the New York Rangers who arrived here Monday.

The Gulls’ hasty preparations for the season seemed of no consequence. Under new Coach Don Waddell, they looked more like a team not only ready to play, but ready to send a message to the rest of the International Hockey League, which was idle Thursday.

With the victory, the Gulls--who finished fifth in the West Division at 30-45-8 in their first season--have sole possession of first place. The two teams play again tonight at 7:05 p.m. at the Sports Arena.

“First place, eh?” Waddell said. “I like the bulk of this hockey team. They’re great character guys, I think they showed that tonight. They work well together, and they’re only going to get better.”

Salt Lake, second in the West and which had the IHL’s second-best record in 1990-91, came into this season highly touted with young scoring talent and a tough, experienced defense. They were 10-4-2 against the Gulls last season.

“I worked them very, very hard in training camp,” Waddell said. “I told them we have to really come out and out-work teams and play with intensity.”

Waddell called True, who played 19 games for the Gulls last year after the Albany Choppers folded, a streaky scorer.

“He says it comes in bunches?” True said. “I hope to prove him wrong.”

True’s goals came in the first and second periods and gave the Gulls leads of 2-1 and 3-1. But the most important goal--scored by Brent Sapergia with an assist from Darcy Norton--came with 2:48 remaining.

It gave the Gulls breathing room and preserved a victory for goalie Rick Knickle, a surprise starter who also played at Albany last year. Knickle, who was expected to back up Philadelphia prospect Bruce Hoffort this season, stopped 23 shots.

The Gulls, in the first period, didn’t look like a team whose preseason preparation consisted of 12 days practice and four intrasquad scrimmages.

The Eagles fell behind 2-1 and were fortunate the margin wasn’t greater. The Gulls sent Salt Lake goalie Warren Sharples sprawling to make 13 saves, but they cashed in on only two of six power plays. The Eagles were 0-2 in that catgegory.

Midway through the period, Gull right wing Robbie Nichols was tripped 10 feet short of the net on a breakaway and robbed of a short-handed, point-blank scoring chance. Tripping on a breakaway usually calls for a penalty shot. Salt Lake got off easy when Kevan Melrose received a minor penalty.

The Gulls opened the scoring when center Len Hachborn, a 29-year-old free agent who played at Binghamton of the American Hockey League last year, muscled his way through one of Salt Lake’s top defenders.

Kevin Grant momentarily tied up Hachborn in front of the net, but Hachborn was able to break free just long enough to a flip shot past Sharples for an unassisted goal seven seconds into the Gulls’ third power play.

Less than two minutes later, Salt Lake center Todd Harkins scored to make it 1-1.