Mayer Returns to Boost Gulls, but Salt Lake Pulls Out Win

The new guy had been around his new team--the Gulls--three days and had been on the ice with his new teammates only twice. But it didn’t take him long to join the fun.

Coming to San Diego from the Adirondack Red Wings in New York was a breath of fresh air, Derek Mayer discovered.

The Gulls lost, 3-2, to the Salt Lake Golden Eagles in front of 4,238 at the Sports Arena Tuesday. But it was no fault of Mayer’s, a point-scoring defenseman acquired Sunday from the American Hockey League.

Mayer scored the Gulls’ first goal 2:58 into the third period. Teammate Len Hachborn tied the score, 2-2, only 25 seconds later. But at 7:36, Eagle Kevin Wortman scored the game-winner off goalie Bruce Hoffort.

The Gulls (29-18-5, 63 points) remained in second place in the West Division of the International Hockey League, however, four points ahead of third-place Peoria and 11 points in front of Salt Lake (22-25-7). Despite the loss, the Gulls have already impressed Mayer.

“Oh, yeah,” he said. “They’re a lot different.

Mayer, 24, might be the new guy--brought here by Coach and General Manager Don Waddell to replace departed defenseman Brian Straub--but he played here last year. And he got out of here at the right time.

Under contract by the Detroit Red Wings, Mayer was shipped on Jan. 10, 1991 from San Diego to Adirondack, their AHL affiliate. The Gulls were just beginning to sink into oblivion; they won only 13 of their next 42 games.

“Last year it seemed like the whole team was thrown together at the last minute and this year it’s a lot different--everybody’s happy with winning,” said Mayer, drafted in the third round by the Red Wings in 1986. “Last year guys seemed to be satisfied with being sub-par.

“This is a really good group of guys. Everybody’s getting along. That wasn’t always the case last year. And the skill level is a lot higher than it was last year. There’s a lot more speed, and it’s been paying off for them so far.”

Tuesday’s defeat was a departure from the norm for the Gulls, who were 10-0-3 in their previous 13 home games and leading the IHL in goals (219) and goals per game (4.29). The Gulls had not lost at home in regulation since Dec. 7 (also a 3-2 decision to Salt Lake). They still have the IHL’s third best record and they could have equaled their 1990-91 victory total of 30 with a victory Tuesday.

Mayer should fit right in with this rejuvenated team. In 31 games with the Gulls last year, Mayer had 33 points--nine goals and 24 assists. He had 15 points in 25 games at Adirondack, but Detroit is apparently willing to part with him. To the delight of Waddell.

“He played well tonight,” Waddell said of Mayer. “We played our worst second period (in which the Gulls were outshot 15-5) of the season and he picked us up. When we lost him last year, this team went into the tank.

“He was unbelievable last year; he was our best defenseman. He was so good, he should have been in the National Hockey League.”

“I’m surprised I got shipped here,” said Mayer, who thought he’d land with Fort Wayne, which has a working agreement with Detroit. “A couple weeks ago, I was hurt (strained back) and I missed a couple games. (Adirondack) started playing well and I never got back into the lineup.

“I wasn’t really happy there anyway. And once that happened I kind of jumped on it (Waddell’s offer). Don Waddell told me he wanted me here and Detroit let me go.”

Gull Notes

Gull Coach Don Waddell signed Andrei Kvartalnov, older brother of Gull and IHL goals leader Dmitri Kvartalnov, to a 25-game contract, beginning with the Feb. 7 game at Salt Lake. The scouting report on Kvartalnov, 28, who, like his younger brother, plays wing, is a conservative one. Said Waddell, “He has pretty good skills.” But others are hinting that Andrei has the same explosive speed and shooting ability as Dmitri--in which case the Gulls wouldn’t miss Soren True, who left for Phoenix last week.