Gulls Can’t Catch Up With Blades

Gulls Coach Don Waddell could have criticized his players after they spotted the Kansas City Blades a four-goal lead early that proved to be too much in a 6-5 loss in front of 3,970 at the San Diego Sports Arena Saturday.

But after the Gulls outshot the International Hockey League’s best team, 41-34, and outscored them, 3-0, in the third period, Waddell withheld any caustic comment. He just looked frustrated.

“This is one of those games where I really have to sit down and look at the tape,” he said. “I don’t think they outworked us for six goals. I think they got three or four easy goals, which is not good.

“We were forechecking like we were capable. We were banging and we were causing things to happen.”

Not when it counted, however. Six different players scored off two different Gull goalies, and the Gulls, who continued to be outscored by the opposition in the first two periods, spotted the Blades a 6-2 lead.

The defeat put the Gulls (9-10-0) under .500 for the third time this season. They remain in third place in the IHL West Division with 18 points and trail the division-leading Blades (13-2-1) by nine points.

The Gulls have also fallen to 1-8 in games in which they trailed going into the third period.

Larry Floyd sparked the Gulls’ comeback effort with a goal and an assist in the final period. He scored 2:19 into the period and fed Brent Sapergia on a 15-foot slap shot that put the Gulls within a goal with 3:53 left. At that point, Waddell had to be wondering why his team gave Kansas City so many easy chances early.

Kansas City pelted what was a hot Gulls goaltender, Rick Knickle (7-3), for three goals in the first period. The Gulls went scoreless in the period and Knickle took an early shower with a pulled stomach muscle. Waddell replaced him with Bruce Hoffort.

Hoffort (0-3), a Philadelphia Flyers farmhand who has a 4-0-3 record in NHL games, hadn’t played since Oct. 9. Exactly one month later, Hoffort faced the same opponent and the same result--a loss. After getting the start last month, Hoffort was relieved by the departed Rod Houk after two periods.

This time it was Hoffort being used in a mop-up role. Despite goals by Ron Duguay and Darcy Norton that cut the Blades’ lead to 4-2, Hoffort was scored upon three times in a 8:24 span. Kansas City had made the game a laugher once again, but in defense of Hoffort, he was a little rusty.

Duguay closed the gap to 3-1, scoring his third goal in as many games off a rebound of Soren True’s shot from the right circle. And after Gord Frantti beat Gull defender Brian Straub one-on-one for a score, Norton deflected in a shot by Kord Cernich to make it 4-2.

But then Hoffort was victimized by two goals in 47 seconds by Ed Courtenay and Larry DePalma.

Saturday’s loss might make part of Waddell’s job easier. After signing the team’s top scorer, Len Hachborn, for the remainder of the season a day earlier, Waddell said Friday that roster cuts were forthcoming.

Said Waddell, “Tomorrow, some guys’ careers as San Diego Gulls might be determined.”

Waddell, also the club’s vice president and general manager, blamed some of his veteran players for not sparking what he called a sometimes-lackadaisical team.

Waddell said “a couple of them” will be cut loose Monday.