Gulls’ Third-Period Blitz Buries League-Leading Blades : Hockey: Kvartalnov, the IHL’s leading goal scorer, triggers the outburst. Gulls move into third place.

The Gulls set a team record with three goals in a 39-second span of the third period and defeated West Division-leading Kansas City, 4-2, in an International Hockey League game Wednesday night in front of 5,112 at Kemper Arena.

The Gulls beat Kansas City for the first time in five tries and also snapped the Blades’ eight-game winning streak. The Gulls (16-12) have won seven of nine games and move into third place in the West Division, a point ahead of Salt Lake (15-16-1).

“There’s no doubt about it, that was the biggest win of the season,” Waddell said. “When you’re down in the third period 2-0 to that kind of a team, you’ve got to figure you’re in trouble. Once we got that first goal, it just seemed to avalanche.”

Kansas City took a 2-0 lead after two periods on goals by Dale Craigwell and Gord Frantti in the first and second periods.

“After two periods, I thought we were playing very well,” Waddell said. “I told the guys to be patient, we’ll get our goals.”

The Gulls struck 6 minutes 23 seconds into the third on a Dmitri Kavartalnov goal, his league-leading 24th, on assists from Glen Goodall and Robbie Nichols. Goodall was replacing Glen Hachborn on the line. Hachborn is in Portland, Me., with his wife, who recently gave birth to a boy.

The Gulls tied it 13 seconds later on Ray Whitney’s seventh goal off an assist from Kord Cernich and took the lead 26 seconds after that on Soren True’s 12th goal on an assist from Whitney.

Ron Duguay’s empty net goal, his fourth score of the season, with :41 left made it 4-2.

The Gulls outshot Kansas City, 29-25. Rick Knickle, who improved his record to 12-4 and 9-0 on the road, stopped 23 of 25 shots.

“Knickle has been amazing on the road,” Waddell said. “Again, he came up with the big saves to keep us in the game.”

The game set a Gulls’ record for fewest penalty minutes. Kansas City was penalized twice for seven minutes, San Diego once for five.