Gull Slide Continues With Loss to Blades

With two games left in the regular season and the playoffs beginning next week, the Gulls counted on building some momentum at this point.

But after losing, 4-1, to Kansas City on Thursday, giving them their first back-to-back losses at home since Nov. 7 and 8, the Gulls (96 points) lost momentum and home-ice advantage in the playoffs to Peoria (103 points)..

The Gulls, falling in front of 5,639 at the Sports Arena, lost their second in game a row and fifth of the past seven. They also lost veteran defenseman Randy Hillier, who left the club for personal reasons.

The loss of Hillier might be the most costly.

The Gulls acquired Hillier, who was sent from Pittsburgh Penguins to the New York Islanders to the Buffalo Sabres this season, on March 17, after Buffalo excluded him from its final roster.

Hillier, a 10-year NHL veteran, flew home to Pittsburgh Thursday, leaving the Gulls indefinitely.

Gull Coach Don Waddell, who called Hillier a “huge addition” for the playoffs, said Hillier played well in five games, then went flat Monday against Salt Lake. Assistant coach Charlie Simmer said the Gulls are prepared to play without him for the rest of the season.

“We’re going to go ahead and continue to do what were doing,” Simmer said. “He needs to do a few things.”

Former Sabre Coach Rick Dudley, recently hired by the Gulls as an advance scout, said he spoke to a depressed Hillier before the defenseman flew home Thursday.

“He felt he wasn’t playing very well,” said Dudley, who coached Hillier before being fired and replaced by John Muckler. “He took a beating, mentally, at Buffalo. He went from being a key guy in their plans to not playing much.

“It was difficult for him to go down. He left the door open, but he needs time.”

In six games, Hillier had two assists, four penalty minutes.

For the second game in a row, the Gulls yielded a 1-0 lead. Darcy Norton scored on the power play 4:02 into the game. But after that it was all goalie Arturs Irbe, one of five Kansas City players sent down by the San Jose Sharks Thursday.

Irbe improved to 23-7-1, stopping 32 shots and outshining Gull goalie Sean Burke, who turned away 33 of 37 shots, facing 10 power plays. Ron Handy scored 2:16 into the second period to tie it, 1-1. A short-handed goal--the 19th against the Gulls this year--by John Carter made it 2-1 at the 6:44 mark.

Gull Notes

The playoff series with Peoria will open April 8 at 5:05 p.m. (PDT) and April 10 at 5:35 p.m. (PDT). Both games will be played in Peoria and televised live by the San Diego Cable Sports Network. Games 3 and 4 of the series are scheduled for April 11 and 13 in San Diego. Game 5, if necessary, is tentatively set for April 14 here. All game times at home are 7:05 p.m. The final two games of the best-of-seven series, if necessary, will be April 17 and 18 in Peoria. . . . The Salt Lake Golden Eagles, with a 6-2 victory over Phoenix, clinched the final playoff spot. They will open at first-place Kansas City in the Western Division first round.