Knickle Earns Win; Gulls Defeat Phoenix

The Gulls used the final 20 minutes of the 1991-92 International Hockey League season to stop some bleeding and reward their top goalie, scoring five goals in the third period to overtake the Phoenix Roadrunners Saturday.

Their 6-4 victory in front of 9,867 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum halted a three-game losing streak and a nine-game road skid as they gave goalie Rick Knickle his IHL-best 28th victory.

But the Gulls, trailing, 3-1, after two periods and facing possibly another loss while trying to gain momentum for next week’s playoffs, had to turn things around in frantic fashion.

With 11:30 left and Phoenix leading, 4-2, defenseman Sergei Starikov scored back-to-back goals with assists from Andrei Kvartalnov, Dmitri Kvartalnov and newcomer Kent Hawley to tie it, 4-4.

Then 19-year-old center Ray Whitney (36 goals, 90 points in 62 games) scored his second of two goals to put the Gulls in front and Jason Simon added an empty-net goal with time running out to finish the scoring.

“I feel a lot better now than I did at the end of the second period,” said Coach Don Waddell after the Gulls picked up their 45th victory. “It showed great character for our guys to dig down and win it in the third period.”

While Knickle (28-13-4) stopped a personal three-game losing streak while turning back 22 shots Saturday, the Gulls (45-28-9, 99 points) finished the 82-game season third in the IHL West Division. Their 99 points were the fourth highest point-total in the league and they tied East Division winner Fort Wayne (112 points) for the league lead in goals with 340.

The Gulls the defending Turner Cup champion Peoria Rivermen (105 points) in the first round of the playoffs.

Gull Notes

Members of the of the Gulls “Hot Line,” Dmitri Kvartalnov, Len Hachborn and Robbie Nichols, have been named the team’s tri-Most Valuable Players, the club announced Saturday. Other awards went to Denny Lambert (most improved), Ray Whitney (rookie of the year), Alan Hepple (most valuable defenseman) and Rick Knickle (unsung hero) during a brief ceremony between periods of the Gulls’ final home game Saturday The Gulls’ 1991-92 home attendance totaled 241,382. The average crowd was 5,887, an increase of 562 over last year. The team averaged 7,778, however, in the 10 games after Fred Comrie bought the club. . . . Playoff tickets are currently on sale at the San Diego Sports Arena box office for the Gulls’ three scheduled playoff games here against Peoria on April 11, 13 and 14 (tentative). Ticket prices range from $7 to $17.