Missed Opportunities Spell Defeat for Gulls

PHOENIX —  For weeks, the Gulls have relied on the efforts of others to keep their chins above water in the race for the final playoff spot in the International Hockey League.

Not anymore.

The first game after their most lopsided victory of the season Saturday in Kalamazoo, Mich., the Gulls frittered away all their chances--and there were many--and lost a 6-4 West Division game to Phoenix in front of 6,938. The defeat couldn’t have come at a worst time.

With Milwaukee’s 3-1 victory against Peoria and three games remaining in the regular season, the Admirals are three points ahead of the Gulls in the playoff race.

The Gulls play at Phoenix, a team that has owned them both home and away, Friday, then return to the Sports Arena Saturday and Sunday for a two-game series against Salt Lake. Milwaukee plays Peoria at home Friday, plays at Kalamazoo Saturday, then home against Kansas City Sunday.

But the story Wednesday in Phoenix was the Gulls’ inability to convert on the power play early. Although they finished with three power play goals in the third, they were three for 14 for the night, 0 for 10 in the first 2 1/2 periods.

Worse still, they played with a two-man advantage for 1:02 in the first, 1:47 in the second, and 1:35 in the third, and couldn’t capitalize on any of them.

Phoenix outshot the Gulls 37-31, with Mario Gosselin the winner in goal and Alain Chevrier the loser. The Gulls have lost 10 of their 11 games against Phoenix since the first of the year.

The Gulls couldn’t even blame officiating. Out of 26 penalties, 17 were on Phoenix.

Phoenix led 3-0 after the first period, and 5-1 after the second, in which Gull center Larry Floyd scored his 24th goal.

In the third, the Roadrunners Sean Whyte made it 6-1 at 8:01 on the power play, then the Gulls’ Darin Banister, Steve Dykstra and Charlie Simmer all scored.