Goalie Millen Joins Gulls as Team Starts Home Series

The Gulls on Thursday bolstered what already appeared to be a strong goaltending crew when they acquired veteran Greg Millen on loan from the New York Rangers.

Millen, 34, has a 212-282-86 record and a 3.88 goals-against average in 14 NHL seasons with five different clubs. However, he appeared in only three games (58 total minutes) last season as one of five Chicago Blackhawks goalies, posting a 0-1 record and 4.14 average--both team lows.

Millen joins goaltenders Rick Knickle (4-1) and Bruce Hoffort, on loan from the Philadelphia Flyers. Assistant coach Andre Lacroix said the Gulls (4-4) probably will release goalie Rod Houk, the Minnesota North Stars’ No. 1 pick in the 1990 supplemental draft.

Lacroix said Millen might be with the team only for a few weeks. He also said the Gulls, who have received two Rangers in as many days, expect to get more from New York during the four-game homestand that begins tonight with a 7:05 p.m. game against the Turner Cup champion Peoria Rivermen at the San Diego Sports Arena.

Tonight’s game, which will be televised live by the San Diego Cable Sports Network, marks the end of the Gulls’ longest trip this season--six games in 13 days. The Gulls, currently on a three-game winning streak, are 1-1 against the Rivermen and were 1-5 at home against them last year.

Lacroix said he and Coach Don Waddell have been pleased with the team’s first two scoring lines, but the second line will be missing center Keith Gretzky indefinitely. Gretzky, whose father, Walter, 53, suffered a brain aneurysm Wednesday, is with his family in Ontario, Canada.