Short-Handed Gulls Defeat Kansas City

The last time the Gulls and Kansas City Blades played at the San Diego Sports Arena the Blades won and the result was unbearable. In their rematch in front of 7,050 Friday, the Gulls won and it was unimaginable.

Tied, 1-1, in the third period, the Gulls scored two short-handed goals on one Kansas City power play and went on to win, 4-2, in a game that meant everything to the Gulls (24-15-3, 51 points).

For one thing, the Gulls stayed in second place in the International Hockey League’s West Division behind the Blades (35-10-2, 72 points), who have the best record in the league.

With Kansas City poised to win the game, Len Hachborn stole the puck and passed it to Soren True, who scored from the right circle. The Blades still had 53 seconds remaining on the power play. With eight seconds left, Darcy Norton stole the puck, skated alone down the middle of the ice to beat Arturs Irbe.

The Gulls led, 3-1, and held on to win after Blade Pat McLeod and Hachborn scored late in game.

“It was a great game, just a great hockey game,” Gulls Coach Don Waddell said. “The short-handed goals broke their backs but they didn’t quit. We know we are going to score goals, we just have to be patient. And tonight we were, but our third period has been our best all year long.”

Friday’s victory should wipe out any memory of the Dec. 27 game featuring these two at Sports Arena. In that one, the Gulls saw a 4-2 lead with 3:08 remaining turn into a bitter 5-4 defeat in overtime.

Gulls goalie Rick Knickle stopped 27 of 29 shots and out-played Irbe, who came in leading the IHL with a 2.60 goals-against average. Knickle, who said he was sick with the flu when the Blades burned him late three weeks ago, redeemed himself as the Gulls won their fourth consecutive game during this seven-game home stand. The two teams meet again tonight at 7:05.

“You play well and you beat the weaker teams, but Kansas City is the kind of team you really want to beat--and you have to beat,” Knickle said.

This is a key series for the Gulls, if for no other reason than to prove that they can play with Blades. Kansas City is one of only three teams in the 10-team IHL against which the Gulls have a losing record (3-5-1). The others are Peoria (1-4), which trails the Gulls by two points, and Ft. Wayne (0-1), the East leader, which comes in for a two-game series Tuesday and Wednesday.

But the Gulls have used the Blades as a measuring stick. And fresh on their minds was that disaster in December.

After losing their first four games to the Blades, the Gulls since have gone 2-1-1 against them. The last five games have been decided by two goals or less.

But one thing about the 1991-92 Blades: they rarely lose.

Kansas City was 7-2-1 in its previous 10 games. That’s a slump.

The Gulls scored first after not getting a shot on goal for the first 11:15.

But 1:49 after Gull Robbie Nichols put one between Irbe’s pads, Blade defenseman David Williams scored from 40 feet out on a wrist shot.

The defensive struggle continued through a scoreless second period, the first scoreless period for the Gulls in 13 games.

With the Gulls on a power play, Darcy Norton put a slap shot off Irbe’s glove. Hachborn, standing in the slot, swatted the rebound. Sprawling to his left, Irbe caught it. Seconds later, Hachborn sped back toward Irbe, who made a pad save.

Irbe also turned away point-blank chances by Glen Goodall, Larry Floyd and Dmitri Kvartalnov, IHL goals leader. At the other end, Knickle (16-7-2) smothered 10 Kansas City shots.

Gulls Notes

Center Keith Gretzkywho had a hat trick against Indianapolis Jan. 12, was out with an irritated disc in his lower back. Right wing Ron Duguay missed his second consecutive game with a lower back strain.