Whitney Provides Spark, Goals for Gulls

The Gulls were tired and looking for a source of energy to win a crucial International Hockey League game against the Peoria Rivermen on Tuesday.

The source was Ray Whitney, the Gulls’ 19-year-old center. He turned a one-goal, third-period lead into a 4-1 victory in front of 3,548 at the San Diego Sports Arena.

Whitney had two assists and an empty-net goal, helping the Gulls bury the Rivermen and take over second place in the West. The Gulls improved to 80 points. Peoria is in third place, just two points back (78). It was only Peoria’s second loss in six games against the Gulls.

“I’d like to think it’s my 19-year-old legs, but we’ve had a tough month,” said Whitney, a rookie who has 29 goals and 60 points in 44 games. “We’ve played a lot of games, and a lot on the road. The team is tired. You could see it tonight.

“You hear the older players in the dressing room say ‘all you young guys keep the legs going.’ But, overall, I think we all played well tonight.”

The Gulls, who snapped a three-game losing streak, will take any edge right now. They are fighting for home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs with Peoria. Neither team was at its best Tuesday, both having played seven games in 10 days.

The Gulls took a 1-0 lead at the 8:14 mark of the first period when Ron Duguay scored off Keith Gretzky’s pass in front of the crease. That lead stood until the third period.

That’s when Whitney went to work.

Leading a 2-on-1 break and skating toward the left side of the crease, he dumped the puck to defenseman Steve Shaunessy, who flipped it over Guy Hebert’s glove to give the Gulls a 2-0 lead less than 90 seconds into the period.

Whitney went back to work 5 1/2 minutes later, firing a pass to a wide-open Steve Martinson, who made it 3-0 when he scored from left side of the crease. It was Martinson’s 16th goal, matching his season total of a year ago.

Whitney’s empty-net goal was icing on the cake.