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By Phillip Brents
Nov. 9, 2002

The Idaho Steelheads, wearing their home white jerseys, seemed to be playing with the home ice advantage throughout their return to the San Diego Sports Arena, racking up a 4-2 victory against the Gulls, who were wearing one of their combinations of dark road jerseys.

Idaho goaltender Jason Cugnet, who made 40 saves in a 2-1 loss in the teams’ last meeting (Nov. 1 at the Sports Arena), was equally stingy – making 33 saves as the Steelheads were outshot 35-18 in front of 10,423 fans, the Gulls’ second-largest crowd of the season.

A second-year holdover after not playing the game in three years, Cugnet raised his season record to 4-2. He entered the game with a 2.21 GAA and .909 save percentage.

While the season may still be young, teams no longer have the same slack they had in the past to play out of slumps in the drastically shortened WCHL playoff entry list.

In the past, teams could take a night off knowing that all the teams in the league made the playoffs at the end of the season. With only four out of the six teams making the playoffs this year, it makes the games more physical. It adds more intensity to the games,” said Jeremy Mylymok, the WCHL’s 2000-01 Outstanding Defenseman and winner of two Turner Cups with the IHL Chicago Wolves.

San Diego head coach Steve Martinson hinted his team may have to sign another quality forward after the Gulls fell to 2-5-1 in their last eighth games after jump-starting the season 3-0. Idaho, which snapped a modest two-game losing streak after winning its first five games of the season, retained its hold on first-place by improving to 8-3-1 – moving six standings points ahead of San Diego in the process.

Mylymok said his team’s strength right now is depth – something the Gulls can use with two players – defenseman Marc Busenburg and right win Rob Voltera – still to return from the AHL Hershey Bears.

Recently acquired center Chris Marinucci led Idaho with two goals and an assist. Martinson can only envy Steelheads coach John Olver in Marinucci’s acquisition. The soon-to-be 31-year-old native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, comes to Idaho after having won four Turner Cups in five seasons in the old IHL (two with Denver and Utah Grizzlies and two with the Wolves). He was the IHL’s Iron Man of the Year in 1998-99, the IHL’s Ken McKenzie Trophy Winner in 1994-95 (awarded to the best American-born player in the IHL) and was the 1993-94 Hobie Baker Award winner – emblematic of the most outstanding collegiate hockey player of the year.

Marinucci is in a Steelies’ uniform right now after hearing about the team from Mylymok and defensemen Matt Martin, both former teammates in Chicago. Marinucci is filling in for injured standout Jeff Shevalier – but has the option of remaining if offers from Europe don’t measure up.

“I haven’t played in the IHL in a few years because I’ve been in Europe but from what I’ve seen so far, at least three teams in this league are capable of winning the championship – Idaho, San Diego and Fresno,” Marinucci said.

The Steelheads won the first period despite being outshot 11-8. Marinucci got the jump goal at 13:53, assisted by Wes Dorey and Jonathan Shockey. Marty Flichel made it 2-0 Idaho at 19:14 on a power play goal, assisted by Scott Swanson.

The Steelheads gave the Gulls a deeper hole from which to climb out when Marinucci scored his second goal of the game at even strength at 6:06 of the second period. The 3-0 Idaho lead only seemed to inspire the hosts, who replied to the challenge with back-to-back goals to cut the Steelheads’ lead to 3-2. Dean Tiltgen put San Diego on the scoreboard with a power play goal at the 7:56 mark by finishing off passes from Ryan Fultx and Sylvain Deschatelets. The Gulls got some luck in beating stingy Idaho netminder Jason Cugnet at 9:24 when Mike Garrow repeatedly whacked at the loose in the crease and was rewarded for his efforts when the puck finally bounced off Cugnet into the net. Garrow’s goal was the team’s second power play goal in a span of 1:28 with Martin Vasut sent off the ice for 4:00 on a high-stick call.

However, San Diego’s timely momentum was blunted when the Steelheads regained their two-goal lead on a power play goal by Flichel at 15:33. The Gulls, who had a chance to scratch back to within a goal on a late power play in the period, finished the middle frame with a 12-6 advantage in shots for a two period edge of 23-14 – and a two-goal deficit.

San Diego drew the first power play of the third period but could not take advantage, taking just one shot on Cugnet with the man advantage. Cugnet was simply unbeatable – holding the Gulls at arm’s length despite facing a 12-4 disadvantage in shots in the final period.

San Diego’s record against the Steelheads this season fell to 1-2-1. The Gulls host Fresno on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m.

Notepad
R.J. Enga’s four point night against the Bakersfield Condors Nov. 3 was the 15th in his career. Entering the Nov. 9 game against Idaho, San Diego had won 40 straight games when leading after two periods, dating back to Opening Night last season. The power play continues to struggle, however, going 4-for-56 entering the game. The Gulls showed some improvement, going 2-for-6 in the home ice rematch against Idaho.

Gulls backup goaltender Cam McCormick was released on Nov. 4, but was re-signed for the Nov. 9 game. Netminder Curtis Cruickshank, who has been practicing with the team, is expected to sign before the Nov. 12 game again the Fresno Falcons. Dennis Mullen, for his knee-on-hit on Bakersfield’s Jason Jackman on Nov. 3, was handed a two-game suspension. He will also be out of the lineup for the Nov. 12 game. Clint Cabana was placed on the season-ending injured reserve list.

Going into the Nov. 9 game, the WCHL’s top scorer was Yvan Corbin of the Anchorage Aces. San Diego leads in average attendance at 6,633 with Fresno second at 4,896. The Gulls’ Cabana and Jeremy Mylymok of Idaho were tied with 17 minor penalties for the league.

FEATURE ARTICLES
Goalies leave their legacy in WCHL
East meets West in final WCHL season
WCHL’s 2002-2003 makeover starts at the top
WCHL Training Camp Notepad
WCHL honors its own with organizational awards

AROUND THE WCHL
November 2002 Edition
October 2002 Edition
May 2002 Edition

GAME RECAPS
02/07/03: Condors 4, Gulls 3 (SO)
02/05/03: Gulls 2, Falcons 1
02/04/03: Falcons 8, Gulls 3
02/01/03: Steelheads 6, Gulls 5 (SO)
01/31/03: Gulls 3, Steelheads 2 (SO)

PROFILES IN HOCKEY
Enga is Gulls’ new ironman
Danielle Dube — pioneer, no; goaltender, yes
Greg Spenrath: Falcons lose a legend
Grandfather, grandson keep Gulls "all in the family"

PRESS RELEASES
Ice Dogs name Kaminski as head coach