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By Phillip Brents
Posted on Nov. 9, 2002

The rule of thumb in professional sports is that one just does not replace a league MVP. But one can come close.

Exit Mark Woolf, reigning MVP of the West Coast Hockey League. Enter R.J. Enga, the San Diego Gulls’ new ironman — literally.

Enga, acquired when the Colorado Gold Kings folded during the offseason, entered the 2002-03 campaign having not missed a game since 1996 — a span totaling 467 consecutive games. One of the last original Gold Kings, Enga had appeared in all 310 regular season and playoff games since the franchise moved to Colorado Springs in 1998.

Besides an ironman, the Gulls also got one of the league’s premier scorers.

Woolf led the WCHL with 50 goals last season and finished second with 97 points; Enga was right behind with 48 goals while finishing third overall with 95 points.

“Obviously, coming to San Diego, I am excited. This was the only place I wanted to come They have a tradition of winning. Coming into the building, wearing that uniform, you feel you have an edge. It’s fun to be a part of it,” Enga said.

Born in Germany while his father was stationed there during duty with the U.S. armed services, Enga grew up in Colorado. The 30-year-old, 5-foot-11-inch, 190-pound center was acquired not necessarily to replace Woolf, a forward. Departing along with Woolf to play in Germany this season was center John Spoltore, the WCHL’s top point-getter last season. Befitting his ironman status, Enga’s role was to help take up the slack in both departments.

The new Gulls center certainly made an impression with two goals and an assist in his first game with San Diego. He added a goal and assist in his second game to finish a season-opening weekend sweep of the Long Beach Ice Dogs with three goals and two assists.

After 10 games this season, Enga led all WCHL scorers with 14 points on six goals and eight assists.
Enga’s arrival was perfectly timed for San Diego coach Steve Martinson. Seemingly just days after Woolf announced his departure, the Gold Kings ceased operations and Enga became available.

The Gulls also picked up Mike Garrow -- the WCHL’s Rookie of the Year in 2001-02 -- from Colorado.

“I made a call to Al Pedersen, their coach, who I’ve always had a good working relationship with, and asked him who he considered his top two guys to be. He said Enga and Garrow. Those were my choices as well,” Martinson said.

Besides Enga’s consistency and scoring ability, Martinson also wanted Enga for his leadership ability in the locker room.

A 10th round selection of the New York Islanders in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, Enga entered the season ranked eighth all-time in the WCHL with 387 points and ninth all-time with 165 goals and 222 assists. He was the Gold Kings' all-time leader in games (310), points (387), goals (165), power play goals (56) and shorthanded goals (10). His career-high 50 goals and 105 points in 2000-01 landed him a First Team All-WCHL selection as well as a trip to the 2001 WCHL/CHL All-Star Game.

Enga acknowledged that his role on the team is “pretty much unsaid.”

“Everybody kind of knows their role. That’s what he (Martinson) got me for,” Enga said.

Enga opened the season paired on same line with Dennis Purdie and Dean Tiltgen but that line has since been repaired because Martinson felt the chemistry was not right. Enga has since been matched up with Purdie and onetime NHL talent Mark Pederson, who led the WCHL with four power play and five game-winning goals through the Gulls’ first 10 games.

Enga credits his ironman constitution to two things: training in the high altitude of the Rocky Mountains, where he particularly enjoyed hiking and fly fishing, and also his love for the game. It could be the latter more than the former.

“I love to play. It’s fun to get out there,” he said.
Enga is excited not only by his new surroundings but also having the chance to play alongside Garrow, whom Enga called a “great player.”

“We're happy to get him. He was an integral part of our team in Colorado and now he’s got a year under his belt,” Enga said of the 27-year-old defenseman who earned the equivalent of Canada’s top collegiate defensemen award while playing with the University of Alberta in 2001.

But the best part of coming to San Diego, Enga said is being able to partake of the region’s world famous balmy climate.

“It’s nice to wake up to 75 degrees every day and palm trees,” Enga said.

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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)

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