Malarchuk Debuts in Gulls’ Victory

Clint Malarchuk stopped 23 of 27 shots in his debut, and the Gulls won their fifth straight, scoring a 7-4 IHL victory over Kansas City in front of 7,059 at Kemper Arena.

The Gulls (5-0) tied their team record for consecutive victories and are halfway to the record 10 victories to open a season set a year ago by Kansas City.

The Blades, defending Turner Cup champion, are 2-2.

It was the third game in three nights for the Gulls, who left San Diego Saturday at 7 a.m. and arrived in Kansas City four hours before game time. They did not get in a pregame skate.

Dale DeGray and Peter Hankinson gave the Gulls a 2-0 lead, and after Kansas City’s Jaroslav Otevrel and Mark Beaufait tied the game, John Anderson answered with the first of his three goals to make it 3-2. Gary Emmons tied it at 3 before the first period was over.

“We had to expect to be a little sluggish at the beginning,” Gulls’ Coach Rick Dudley said. “It was a long day, but the good thing is that we actually were stronger in the last two periods.”

Kansas City took the lead 16 seconds into the second period, only the second time this season the Gulls have trailed, on a goal by Bob Gaudreau. Anderson tied it less than a minute later, and then Larry Floyd put the Gulls ahead 5-4.

Anderson and Floyd scored again in the third quarter.

Anderson has five goals on the season, Floyd four.

Hubie McDonough had three assists and now has nine. He leads the Gulls with 11 points.

Malarchuk, a 10-year NHL veteran picked up on loan Tuesday from the Buffalo, was part of a defensive effort that killed seven of nine penalties and has now killed 37 of 40 on the season.

The Gulls were four of seven on power play opportunities and are eight of 18 in their last two games. They were two of 24 through their first three games.