The Sweetwater Union High School District has gone to great measures to promote coed sports opportunities within the Metro Conference. While a handful of females have participated in football, roller hockey is the sport where the greatest number of female student-athletes have gone head-to-head with male classmates on the playing court.
And, we might say, have excelled in doing so.
Eastlake High School sophomore Percilla Mayer earned First Team All-Mesa League honors this season while Southwest goaltender Mariana Cornel received Second Team All-South Bay League recognition.
However, coed roller hockey isn’t something exactly new in the district. Girls have been playing alongside boys since roller hockey became a CIF-sanctioned sport in 2000, and well before that at the club level.
And there have been a number of trail-blazing females, most notably former Bonita Vista High School standouts Kelly Nash and Nicole Tran.
Nash, who went on to great acclaim in women’s ice hockey, may be the top female ever to play inline hockey in the conference. Longtime BVHS coach Keith Quigley noted that Tran holds the distinction as the top female goaltender in program history.
However, if there was one player who changed the perception of girls playing alongside boys in inline hockey, it was Nash.
Nash played on the Barons with her older brother Brent. Kelly was a natural hockey player and made up for her diminutive size with a relentless passion for the game. Her skill set was unquestioned and she regularly out-performed boys on the playing court.
Nash went on to win two NCAA championships (2009 and 2011) with the University of Wisconsin’s women’s ice hockey team and now serves as an assistant coach with University of Vermont’s women’s ice hockey program.
“It was so awesome to see this girl compete with the boys and often be a more skilled player than many of the boys back in the day,” Quigley recalled. “She was a true team player and easy to coach. She was a very well rounded player. If she wasn’t playing roller hockey, she was playing ice hockey somewhere.
“I really feel Kelly opened up the door for many female athletes to come out and try the sport of roller hockey after seeing how successful she had been. She quickly gained respect of the male players as soon as they saw her talent out on the rink. I feel she also opened the eyes of many coaches, realizing that there can be talented female hockey players too.”
Quigley noted that Nash’s legacy continues on the team.
“Every season when I have so many girls coming out for the team, I always mention to the whole team that one of my best players ever was a girl by the name of Kelly Nash,” the BVHS coach explained. “I tell them what she has accomplished in the world of hockey. It’s a great story for these high school girls to hear.”
And high school boys to take note of as well.
In fact, this season’s BVHS team actually had more girls (eight) than boys (seven) on the roster. Add two female managers and that’s a total of 10 women.
It continues a trend established in recent years.
“There is definitely a different vibe now on the team with more girls participating,” Quigley explained. “Back in the day, I would only have a couple girls on the team, if that. The last few years or more, I’ve actually had more girls than boys on the Barons team.”
Quigley, who has coached the Barons since their inception in 1998 as a club team, said girls definitely bring a different dynamic to the game.
“They seem to balance things out,” he explained. “I do like how the girls seem to be focused on other aspects of the game besides winning and losing.”
Interestingly, the coed nature seems to have fostered a unique sense of unity and school spirit on teams with females on their rosters.
“It seems the boys have no problem at all with there being so many girls on the team,” Quigley said. “You have to remember these are high school kids, and at that age, of course, boys and girls like to hang out. It makes the sport of roller hockey such a unique sport being coed.”
This season’s Bonita Vista roster featured two female goaltenders: junior Naya Romero, a two-year veteran, and sophomore rookie Ashley Massarene.
“It’s very competitive,” explained Massarene, who had no prior high school sports experience before donning the goaltender pads for the Barons. “My dad brought it up to me that there was a roller hockey team at school. I like hockey. I’m a big Blackhawks fan. I didn’t know there would be so many girls on the team. I thought it would be more of a male sport. I wasn’t used to girls playing hockey.”
She said she experienced her share of baptism by fire, both figuratively and literally.
“It’s very discomforting watching a speeding puck come toward you,” she explained. “It is coming at you super fast and you have to have great reflexes (to stop it).”
She also noted the obvious physical differences between genders on the playing court, but grew to overcome those as well.
“Girls who have never played hockey before have a hard time keeping up with the guys,” she said.
But, taking aside the size and physical strength differences, Romero noted that, “Girls can do everything guys can do.”
And that’s true — skating, stickhandling or puck control doesn’t have a gender bias, nor does passing, shooting or the ability to bat away a puck. Watching women’s hockey in the Winter Olympics is proof of that.
The coed element just makes it more interesting.
Quigley is the first to admit that coaching coed teams has helped broaden his own coaching horizons.
“I feel this has definitely strengthened me as a coach whether it’s hockey, lacrosse or any other sport,” he said. “Just learning how to deal with, manage, coach, supervise both girls and boys I feel makes me more well-rounded as a coach.”
Eastlake High School coach Ron Cole concurred with that statement.
“There are very few sports where boys and girls compete together,” Cole said. “This is one which definitely brings an element to the team that is good for team spirit, team camaraderie and good for hockey in general.
“It has definitely brought a challenge to my coaching career but one that I’m learning from and I’m proud to do that.”
The Titans had two girls on their roster this season: Mayer and sophomore goaltender Erin Gregory.
“It’s a new experience,” admitted Gregory, who won her first three starts. “It’s fun. Even though you’re a girl, the guys don’t care.”
Hilltop High School had three girls on its roster this season. Freshman Kristen Lambertson, in fact, scored the game-winning goal in a 4-3 win over rival Chula Vista High School in a game played prior to the winter break.
Lambertson finished the season with two goals and two assists to her credit.
Other girls on the Hilltop roster included juniors Jenna Bischler and Aryanna Marco. Bischler was credited with one goal during the season.
“They bring a whole new style to the game,” Hilltop coach George Godinez explained. “I feel girls have more enthusiasm and are more eager to learn.”
Sweetwater district teams currently pay homage to one of the conference’s few female head coaches through participation in the Bonita Optimist Pam Wiser Classic, held in mid-January.
The late Wiser was a trend-setter in the coaching realm and, by all accounts, helped save the Chula Vista High School team from folding when she stepped into the dual role as bench boss/team mother.
The Spartans, who claimed their first South Bay League championship banner this season, owe a lot to Wiser’s dedication and support during the program’s darker days.
Females continue to comprise a sizable portion of the Chula Vista roster, led by juniors Ashley Curtis, Marianna Diaz and Allison Smith. There were girls field hockey players, girls lacrosse players and even a cheerleader on this year’s Spartan roster.
CVHS coach Matt Diaz, who earned recognition as the CIF-Metro Conference Coach of the Year in 2015-16, said he feels females bring a welcome amount of finesse to the game.
“They’re able to get around some of the guys due to them being smaller, so they can squeeze through,” the CVHS coach noted. “They also work hard on their skill development and positioning to make up for what they might lack in other areas.”
In short, girls have stepped onto the court with an emphasis on beating the challenges they face while playing against stronger and often more experienced male counterparts and, in doing so, learning the intricacies of the sport in an effort to compete.
While Mayer may be considered the most technically and tactically proficient female player because of her background in ice hockey, other girls have become self-made roller hockey players and been counted on as valuable teammates.
Southwest sophomore Kayleigh Andrew, a two-year varsity veteran, and CV’s Smith, a three-year veteran, are both prime examples of hard work and dedication paying dividends.
Andrew followed her older brother into the sport and quickly began to master it. “I was forced into it, but fell in love with it,” she said.
Andrew has since settled into a role as one of the team’s most dependable defenders.
“Its tough being a girl going up against six-foot-tall boys and trying to move them in front of the net,” she said. “Going up against them is intimidating. (But) it’s like a high when you take the puck away from the best player on the other team.”
Andrew said the concept of team play in roller hockey captured her interest early on. “I like the aggressiveness about the game and how you have to work with your team to make things happen,” she said. “It feels like cloud nine when your team finally understands what it has to do to win.”
All nine of the Sweetwater district teams were coed this season, with four teams (Bonita Vista, Castle Park, Southwest and Eastlake) buttressed by female goaltenders at various points.
“The girls are making a huge impact on the teams now,” Mar Vista head coach Manny Buenrostro explained. “The girls come out here with something to prove and with a chip on their shoulder.
“They want to be an equal. They want to be a part of the team.”
Coed opportunities also available in collegiate roller hockey
The CIF-Metro Conference or, for that matter, any other high school or youth-based club league isn’t the only option to play coed roller hockey. The sport is thriving at the coed level in college as well.
The Western Collegiate Roller Hockey League recently held its regional championship tournament. The National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association national championship tournament is scheduled April 6-10 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Of interest to female roller hockey players, Chico State defender Carly Marquiss is making her second trip to compete in the national championship tournament with her team.
Marquiss, a San Jose native, is not the only female playing in the WCRHL. Lyndsey Fry is rostered on Arizona State University’s Division I team that also received a bid to compete in the upcoming nationals while UC Berkeley’s tandem of Kristina Siezcek and Nisha Junyapayot are competing alongside Marquiss in the WCRHL’s Division II tier.
However, Marquiss is the highest scoring female in Division II with five goals and 18 assists to rank fifth overall in Chico State team scoring. She ranks 17th in the entire division – roughly ahead of 90 other players, mostly men.
(Fry, 23 won the silver medal as a member of the United States national women’s ice hockey team at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games. She is now playing roller hockey after enrolling at ASU after retiring from ice hockey. She collected three goals and four assists in 14 games with the Sundevils’ Division I team this season and two goals and four assists in two games with ASU’s Division III team.)
WCRHL director Brennan Edwards said the number of female players in the league has definitely gone up in recent years.
“I think we have hovered around five or six female players the last few years, but 10 years ago it was typically one to two at the Division III level,” he said.
For those who follow competitive roller hockey, Marquiss’s name is well known. She has medalled with Team USA junior women’s team (two gold medals) and Team USA’s senior women’s team (one silver medal) in international competition. At 15, she was the youngest player on the U.S. senior women’s team roster that competed at the 2012 FIRS inline hockey world championships in Colombia.
Spenser Marquiss was a member of the U.S. national junior men’s team that captured the bronze medal at the same tournament.
This is Carly Marquiss’s second year on the Chico State team. She collected seven goals and eight assists as a freshman.
Marquiss started playing roller hockey at a very young age, about 7, when she followed her father and older brother Spenser onto the playing court. Her father coached her and her brother three years at Willow Glen High School to continue the family love affair with the sport.
“My dad played roller hockey all throughout my childhood, and still does to this day at 52,” Marquiss explained. “As kids we would go watch him play hockey twice a week. I would color and play with dolls on the sidelines and my older brother Spenser joined a team at age 7 and began playing every weekend as well. After a year or so of my brother playing, I thought, I can do this and I decided to give it a shot since I was always there watching my brother and my dad anyways and I just ended up loving it. That was 13 years ago and there isn’t a week that goes by that I’m not on a rink somewhere in California.”
Like most females who play coed hockey, she was outnumbered by the boys on her teams.
“At first I didn’t think twice about the co-ed factor of the sport but as I grew aware of my surroundings, I became discouraged by the fact that it was a “boy sport,” she explained. “Then there became the time when I started to grow and the boys around me didn’t. I seemed to have the advantage since I was growing faster than they were and it made it easier to keep up.
“That lasted for a good while but then the boys grew … and grew. I had to step up my game and figure out how to prove to them that I could handle myself and the game.”
Respect has been the key word in Marquiss’ expanding roller hockey career.
“The team treats me with the respect that I’ve earned and I know they’ll always have my back,” Carly explained. “Playing at the colligate level is a lot different than almost any other team I’ve played on. The boys are now men and have a definite size and weight advantage. I have found myself up against guys more than a foot taller than me. Now at 5 feet, 2 inches tall, that’s pretty easy to do but it still seems to catch me by surprise every now and then.”
However, Carly admits being one of the few females on the rink does have its advantages at times.
“I’d like to think I’m a smart player and a hard worker,” Carly explained. “I admit that is is difficult to play up to the expectations of guys who are almost twice my size, so what I lack in size I try to make up for by making smart plays and simply trying my best. Sometimes my size does come to an advantage because guys often underestimate my ability to hold my own when battling for the puck.”
What’s even more interesting about Carly’s story is that she will have the second opportunity in as many years to compete alongside her brother at the NCRHA nationals. Both siblings competed at last year’s nationals in Missouri. Spenser won his second consecutive national championship with Lindenwood University last season and is hoping to win a third national championship with his team this year.
“Nationals last year was a great experience and having my brother’s team there made it even better,” Carly explained. “How crazy is it to have two family members from different colleges both make it to nationals? I couldn’t ask for anything better my freshman year in college.”
She’s hoping her second trip to the NCRHA nationals with Chico State will be even more productive. The Bulldogs advanced to the quarterfinals last year, dropping a 6-4 match-up against eventual national championship runner-up UMass.
Spenser Marquiss remains equally supportive of his sister.
“She was the only female skater at nationals (last year) and proved she should be there,” Spenser Marquiss said. “She holds her own and surprises a lot of the guys out there.”
Chico State finished 13-2-1 as the WCRHL’s Division II regular season champion. The Bulldogs won their two pool games – 6-5 over UC Irvine in overtime and 8-3 over the UC-Berkeley Golden Bears.
However, CSU Fullerton edged Chico State, 3-2, in overtime in the semifinals. The University of Arizona won the WCRHL regional championship by defeating Fullerton, 4-3, in the championship game.
Marquiss picked up one assist and one penalty in the pool game against UC Berkeley. Interestingly, Junyapayot scored one goal in the game for the Bears.
UC San Diego and the University of San Diego also are members of the WCRHL’s Division II tier. UC San Diego finished regular season play 7-6-3 and qualified as one of six playoff teams for the regional championship tournament. USD finished 0-16-0 and did not qualify for the regional playoffs.
Chico State’s three opening-round games at the upcoming NCRHA nationals are against Cortland, Arizona and St. Joseph’s. St. Joseph’s defeated Cortland, 5-2, in the East Coast Roller Hockey Association Division II regional championship game.
Lindenwood Gold’s three opening-round games at the upcoming nationals are against Neumann, Arizona State and Michigan State. Neumann is the defending ECRHA regional champion while Michigan State won this year’s Midwest Collegiate Roller Hockey League championship.
Lindenwood Gold defeated Bethel, 6-3, in the Great Plains regional championship game. Spenser Marquiss totaled five goals in two playoffs games after leading the team with 21 goals and 39 points in 19 regular season games.
WCRHL teams receiving bids to the NCRHA nationals include:
Division I: Arizona State, Long Beach State, UC Santa Barbara , University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Division II: Arizona, CSU Fullerton, Chico State, UC Irvine
Division III: Arizona State, UC Santa Barbara
WCRHL Regional Championships
March 5-6 at Corona Inline
Division I
Championship game: UNLV 8, UC Santa Barbara 4
Semifinal: UNLV 2, Arizona State 1
Semifinal: UC Santa Barbara 6, Long Beach State 4
Division II
Championship game: Arizona 4, CSU Fullerton 3
Semifinal: Arizona 4, UC San Diego 1
Semifinal: CSU Fullerton 3, Chico State 2 (OT)
Division III
Championship game: Arizona State 7, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 2
Semifinal: Arizona State 6, Arizona State Maroon 0
Semifinal: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 5, UC Santa Barbara 4
FIRS Inline Hockey World Championships
Senior Men
2015: United States (bronze medal)
2014: United States (gold medal)
2013: Fifth Place
2012: United States (gold medal)
2011: United States (silver medal)
2010: United States (gold medal)
2009: United States (gold medal)
2008: United States (gold medal)
2007: Fifth Place
2006: United States (gold medal)
2005: United States (gold medal)
2004: United States (gold medal)
2003: United States (gold medal)
2002: United States (silver medal)
2001: United States (gold medal)
2000: United States (gold medal)
1999: United States (silver medal)
1998: United States (gold medal)
1997: United States (gold medal)
1996: United States (gold medal)
1995: United States (gold medal)
Senior Women
2015: United States (silver medal)
2014: United States (gold medal)
2013: United States (gold medal)
2012: United States (silver medal)
2011: United States (gold medal)
2010: United States (bronze medal)
2009: United States (gold medal)
2008: United States (bronze medal)
2007: United States (gold medal)
2006: United States (gold medal)
2005: United States (silver medal)
2004: United States (silver medal)
2003: United States (gold medal)
Junior Men
2015: Fourth place
2014: Fourth place
2013: United States (silver medal)
2012: United States (bronze medal)
2011: United States (silver medal)
2010: United States (silver medal)
2009: United States (bronze medal)
2008: United States (silver medal)
2007: United States (gold medal)
Junior Women
2014: United States (silver medal)
2013: United States (gold medal) – check
Tournament archives: http://firs.rsportz.com/competitions
Ice Chips
American Hockey League Report:
Gulls inching closer to securing a Calder Cup playoff berth
The San Diego Gulls face off a key three-game home stand Saturday (April 2) against the San Joe Barracuda and follow with games Sunday afternoon (April 3) against the Stockton Heat and Wednesday (April 6) against the Bakersfield Condors.
The Gulls appear to have embedded themselves in the Calder Cup playoffs, though the team has yet to officially clinch a spot in the upcoming 16-team championship field. The Gulls defeated the host Heat, 4-2, on Wednesday (March 30) to end a pivotal four-game road swing through Ontario, San Jose and Stockton with three wins and, in the process, to move back by 0.007 percentage points into second place in the Pacific Division standings over the Texas Stars.
The top four teams in the division standings qualify for post-season competition.
The Gulls have won 16 of their last 22 games and picked up points in 14 of their last 16 contests (12-2-1-1). Their magic number to clinch a playoff berth is down to eight points with seven games remaining (five at home and two on the road). The only unknown quantity is where the team will be seeded (first through fourth) in the Pacific Division playoffs.
San Diego started the four-game road swing with an important 4-1 win at Ontario on March 19. The Gulls dropped a 3-0 decision in San Jose on March 26 to reduce their lead over the Barracuda to just four points in the Pacific Division standings. However, the visitors rallied the following afternoon with a 3-1 win on March 27 to extend their lead back to six points ahead of the Barracuda.
The Gulls (35-22-2-2, 0.607 points-percentage) have not lost back-to-back games since Jan. 23 and Jan. 29. San Diego finished February with a record of 8-2-0-1 and finished March with a record of 8-2-1-0.
The Gulls are six points ahead of San Jose, 12 points ahead of Bakersfield and 14 ahead of Stockton with regular season games running out for the latter three teams.
San Jose (29-27-7-3, 0.557 points-percentage) is six points ahead of Bakersfield (27-25-6-2, 0.517 points-percentage) in the division standings. Stockton (28-28-2-2, 0.500 points-percentage) remains just two points behind Bakersfield in the division standings but now trails San Jose by six points for the final playoff berth in the division.
The Gulls hope to make it more difficult for both San Jose and Bakersfield to catch them as well.
The Pacific Division-leading Ontario Reign became the first team in the Western Conference to clinch a playoff berth by virtue of the Gulls’ 3-1 win in San Jose.
The Reign dropped Wednesday’s match-up in San Jose, 3-1, but still lead the division with an imposing 39-17-4-1 record and 0.680 points-percentage. At this point, Ontario has the second-best record in the 30-team AHL, trailing only the Toronto Marlies (48-15-5-0, 0.743 points-percentage).
Tailfeathers
Nick Ritchie returned to the Gulls on March 29 after being reassigned by the parent Anaheim Ducks. Ritchie spent 20 games during his latest call-up, registering his first NHL goal in a 7-0 victory against the New Jersey Devils on March 14. In 31 games with the Ducks this season, Anaheim’s first-round draft pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft has collected one goal, one assist and 37 penalty minutes
Ritchie, 20, has also appeared in 34 games with the Gulls this season with 16 goals, 29 points and 55 penalty minutes. The rookie winger tops the Gulls with eight power play goals and leads the team in goals scored.
Immediately upon his return to the Gulls, Ritchie scored the game-sealing goal in Wednesday’s win over the Heat.
Rookie defenseman Brandon Montour continues to lead the Gulls in overall points with 50 (10 goals, 40 assists) while center Chris Mueller ranks second in team scoring with 49 points (18 goals, 31 assists), followed by center Mike Sgarbossa with 40 points (15 goals, 25 assists).
Mueller ranks second on the team with seven power play goals.
Goaltender Anton Khudobin improved to 19-7-1 with a 2.40 goals-against average and 0.922 save percentage after stopping 38 of 40 shots against the Heat on Wednesday. However, the Gulls might have to do without his services this weekend after he received a call-up to Anaheim on Thursday along with teammate Chris Wagner.
What’s trending
The Gulls improved to 29-0-0 when leading after two periods and are 12-3-0-1 over their last 16 road games.
The line of Antoine Laganiere, Matt Bailey and Corey Tropp contributed a goal, two assists and a +3 rating in Wednesday’s victory in Stockton.
All of the Gulls lines appear to be producing as time ticks down to the start of the Calder Cup playoffs. Over the past six games, the Laganiere- Bailey- Tropp line has combined for 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) and a +24 plus-minus rating.
The Gulls are 32-7-1-2 when scoring three or more goals and 24-10-0-1 when scoring a power play goal.
By the numbers
San Diego and Ontario appear to be in a battle for supremacy in crowd count among the five new California teams. Heading into this weekend, Ontario held a narrow edge over San Diego in average attendance — 8,545 to 8.541. Both teams were well ahead of Bakersfield (5,049), Stockton (4,548) and San Jose (4,344).
Hershey continues to lead the league with a 9,711 attendance average. The AHL average is 5,886.
Gulls hand teenage goaltender 4-2 loss in pro debut
Newly acquired 18-year-old Stockton Heat goaltender Nick Schneider may have stolen the show Wednesday night (March 30) against the visiting San Diego Gulls, but it was the Gulls who stole a 4-2 victory to push the Heat further toward the brink of elimination for the upcoming Calder Cup playoffs.
The Gulls, meanwhile, recorded their third victory on a key four-game road trip through Ontario, San Jose and Stockton to further cement their position as a playoff qualifier.
The Gulls, braced by 38 saves from veteran goaltender Anton Khudobin and a goal and assist from Matt Baily, improved their season record to 35-22-2-2 as they moved back into second place in the Pacific Division standings by 0.007 percentage points over the Texas Stars.
Stockton, which lost in regulation on home ice for just the third time in 2016 (14-3-1-0), saw its record slip to 28-28-2-2 despite out-shooting the visitors 40-38 in front of 2,902 fans at Stockton Arena.
Schneider signed an entry level contract with the NHL parent club Calgary Flames after an impressive training camp back in September. He joined the Heat following the end of his junior season with the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers. Schneider (6-2, 181) appeared in 50 games in 2015-16 for the Tigers with a 24-26-1 record, 3.62 goals-against average and 0.896 save percentage.
In making his professional debut, Schneider turned back the Gulls on three first period power plays while Swedish 19-year-old Flames prospect Oliver Kylington scored the opening goal of the contest at 4:05 of the second period.
Schneider gave up his first goal as a pro when Bailey connected on a feed from teammate Corey Tropp at 6:22 of the second period. Schneider gave up his second goal as a pro later in the period, at 13:37, when Stefan Noesen tipped in a shot originally taken by teammate Nic Kerdiles while the Gulls were on a power play.
Kenny Ryan used his speed to put the Gulls ahead, 3-1, at the 7:08 mark of the third period after taking a feed from Bailey. The Heat trimmed the score to 3-2 on a goal by Drew Shore at 11:24, but Khudobin held firm from there and Nick Ritche, back in a San Diego uniform after being reassigned by the NHL Anaheim Ducks the day before, scored his team-leading 16th goal of the season into an empty net with 1:25 remaining in the game.
Bailey and Khudobin received first and second star of the game, respectively, while Schneider received the game’s third star award.
Teen phenom
Schneider’s three-year WHL totals include a 3.22 GAA and 0.897 save percentage in 94 games with a record of 44-34-4.
He stopped 34 of the 37 shots he faced against the Gulls before being pulled for the extra attacker.
Stockton coach Ryan Huska said he felt the teenager played well in his first pro start.
“We defended much better (against) a team that plays with speed,” the Stockton coach told the media following Wednesday’s game. “A lot of the shots came from the outside. He was able to see a lot of them coming at him. That allowed him to get more comfortable as the game moved on. A part of that credit has to go to our players but also him for being ready and prepared.”
Schneider said he found out he would get the start in Wednesday’s game during the previous day’s practice.
“I was pretty nervous to start, but the guys were great, they always encouraged me and throughout the game made sure they came by and gave me pats on the back and stuff,” Schneider explained. “It was nice to get the first one out of the way; hopefully I won’t have those nerves next time and we can try and get the win.”
Shore was among those supportive of the teen under fire. “I thought he definitely gave us a chance to win,” Shore said. “I thought he made some big saves. I just wish we could have put a couple more in their net for him.”
The Heat coach echoed Shore’s comments.
“I thought he looked really good,” Huska said of Schneider. “I think before the game you’re wondering how he would be tonight — if he would have nerves or be comfortable in the net. But from the start of the game, he looked in control and I thought he was very steady. I thought he gave us a good game.”
Schneider admitted excitement about making his pro debut in what most coaches rate as the second-best league in the world.
“Growing up, you dream about being a pro and this being your first pro game was pretty exciting for sure,” related the native of Leduc, a suburg of Edmonton.
“After I got the first shot — that’s always the hardest the guys are telling me – as soon as you get the first one out of the way, you’ll be fine. As the game went on you realize it’s the same game of hockey you’ve played your whole life, just obviously there’s some exceptional players out there. I just had to adjust to it the best I could.”
“From the start of the game, he looked in control and I thought he was very steady,” Huska said. “He gave us a good game tonight.”
“I thought he was awesome,” Shore added.
“It would have been nice for us to get him the win, because I thought he deserved that chance by the way he played tonight,” the Stockton coach noted.
“It’s cool just to get your first pro game, that was exciting,” Schneider said. “At this point last year I didn’t think I’d be playing a game in pro right now. It was definitely nice to get that first one out of the way.”
Stockton next hosts division-leading Ontario on Friday before venturing down to play the Gulls on Sunday afternoon (3:05 p.m. start).
The Heat is seeking to avoid a playoff meltdown at this point of the season.
“We need to win games — that’s the way it shaking out for us right now, so every game we drop makes it quite a bit more difficult for us,” Huska said via the team’s Youtube TV channel.
What’s in a number? Gulls extend mark to 30-0-0 when leading after two periods
SAN DIEGO, April 2, 2016 — The San Diego Gulls entered Friday’s American Hockey League Pacific Division contest at the Valley View Casino Center against the San Jose Barracuda with a rather stupefying 29-0-0 record when leading after two periods. Make that 30-0-0 after the Gulls skated past the Barracuda, 5-3, in front of 9,651 fans.
What does Gulls head coach Dallas Eakins make of the team’s rather intimidating 30-0-0 mark when leading after two periods?
“Obviously, its says we know how to protect a lead,” Eakins explained. “Usually the best way to protect your lead is to score again. It’s a testament to our group. Some teams will get up and play a little bit hap-hazard, but our guys seem to tighten the screws down. That’s encouraging.”
Friday’s game took an added importance for both teams when the Texas Stars defeated the host Charlotte Checkers, 4-3, in a shootout. The victory boosted the Stars back into contention for second place in the division standings with the Gulls while the point earned by Charlotte moved the Checkers closer to a claiming a potential cross-over berth in the upcoming Calder Cup playoffs.
The Barracuda, likely facing the most pressure in the wake of the Texas win, came out the stronger team in the opening minutes of the match-up pitting two of the division’s top four teams. San Jose took a 1-0 lead just 3:20 into the game when AHL All-Star Barclay Goodrow scored into an open side of the net after Gulls starter Matt Hackett was drawn out of position to the near side. Ryan Carpenter drew the lone assist on the scoring play.
The Gulls ramped up the pressure from there and created several pretty scoring chances. But all went for naught to end the period.
The hosts could be held off the scoreboard for only so long, as it turned out.
The Gulls built a 3-1 lead when they opened the scoring in the second period with a trio of goals. Antoine Laganiere tied the game, 1-1, just 1:45 into the period on a great individual effort after splitting the San Jose defense. Corey Tropp put the hosts ahead, 2-1, at the 4:44 mark, assisted by Shea Theodore, before Ondrej Kase scored what appeared to an an insurance goal at 13:02, with assists credited to Laganiere and Mike Sgarbossa.
The hosts seemed to be in control of the game until a pair of turnovers cost them the lead.
John McCarthy scored a shorthanded goal to make it 3-2 with 3:39 left in the second period. The visitors drew even by the first minute of the third period on a giveaway by Sgarbossa when he fell at the side of the San Diego net. San Jose’s Peter Emanuelsson happened to be right on the spot to whip the loose puck past Hackett to tie the score 3-3.
But the Gulls haven’t fashioned their monstrous record when leading after the second period out of thin air. They appear to play their strongest in the latter half of games. The hosts took the lead, 4-3, when team scoring leader Brandon Montour beat SJ tender Troy Grosenick during a scramble in front of the Barracuda net at 5:12. Assists on Montour’s 11th goal of the season went to Theodore and Hackett.
The Barracuda bore down after this but Hackett made several sprawling saves to maintain the Gulls one-goal lead.
The San Diego offense came back strong from there.
Nic Kerdiles scored on a one-timer off a feed from linemate Stefan Noesen with 7:11 left in regulation play to make the score 5-3 San Diego.
The Barracuda pulled their goaltender with three minutes to play. One shot on the empty net was blocked by a San Jose defenseman while another went over the crossbar and a third point-blank shot was deflected by another San Jose defender.
The game clocked ticked down to 48 seconds to play with the Gulls still holding onto a two-goal lead. A fourth shot at the empty Barracuda net went wide when another face-off was called with 35 seconds left.
The Gulls scored goals 15 seconds apart in a 7-5 loss to Bakersfield on March 18, so it was not out of the question for San Jose to make a dramatic comeback with a bit of luck.
But when the clock read 10 seconds, it was all but over and the Gulls preserved their intimidating record when leading after two periods – and their perch in second place.
San Jose out-shot San Diego 25-24. Both goaltenders finished the game with 22 saves.
Eakins was especially complimentary of Hackett’s play after being placed in the starter’s position following the call-up of Anton Khudobin earlier in the week.
“I thought he game some saves for us, especially in the first period,” Eakins said. “There weren’t a ton of chances but there were a couple of point-blank ones. There was one on the power play where he had a big save.
“That was an extremely tough situation that he was just put in because he hadn’t played much for a long time. He’s had an unbelievable attitude; he’s always worked hard in practice. You cheer for him.”
In claiming what goes down as a come-from-behind win, Eakins said he has confidence in his team when playing in critically important games. “Earlier in the year, we may have stumbled but the group is fairly strong with adversity now,” the San Diego coach said.
The Gulls swept all three star awards. Theodore (three assists) received the game’s first star award, while Montour (one goal, one assist) and Laganiere (one goal, one assist) received the third star award.
Eakins called Theodore, with 26 assists and 34 points in 48 games, a “massive” presence on the team.
“Everybody talks about defensemen being able to defend but he doesn’t have to because he can get the puck out of our zone quickly,” the Gulls bench boss said. “It’s always good to have him. He’s a key guy for minutes. He eats up a lot of minutes. He’s on our power play; he’s on our penalty kill. He’s a special player.”
Tailfeathers
The line of Laganiere, Tropp and Matt Bailey combined for two goals, two assists and a +6 rating in the game. Over their past seven games, the line has combined for 27 points (nine goals, 18 assists) and a +30 rating. Bailey has collected 2-8=10 points (two goals, eight assists) during the seven-game stretch after recording six points (two goals, four assists) in his first 38 games. The Gulls won back-to-back games when conceding the first goal for the first time this season.
The Gulls (36-22-2-2) moved to 0.016 percentage points ahead of Texas (38-24-7-3) in the division standings following Saturday’s win over the Barracuda (29-24-7-3), which remains in fourth place in the division standings
— Phillip Brents
Gulls on verge of clinching playoff berth following overtime loss to Stockton
SAN DIEGO, April 3, 2016 – Two days after recording his first professional victory against the Pacific Division leading Ontario Reign, 18-year-old Stockton goaltender Nick Schneider faced the team that had given him his first pro loss as the Heat made its final regular season visit to the Valley Casino Center to meet the San Diego Gulls on Sunday afternoon.
The Gulls, trailing Ontario in second place in the division standings, had a chance to clinch a berth in the upcoming Calder Cup playoffs with a win over Stockton. But Schneider – fresh off a call-up to the AHL after his junior season ended with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League – was slow to cooperate.
The Gulls will have to wait until Wednesday’s home game against Bakersfield for another chance to clinch a playoff berth after the Heat kept up its fading playoff hopes with a 2-1 overtime victory in front of 8,566 fans.
The Gulls magic number is reduced to one, however, with five games remaining in regular season play (three at home, two on the road).
Schneider posted a first-period shutout with nine saves on nine shots to build on his performance the previous Friday when he stopped 31 of 33 shots in a 3-2 Heat win to out-duel Reign netminder Peter Budaj, the top goaltender in the 30-team AHL with a 1.76 goals-against average and 0.929 save percentage.
Schneider, an Alberta native, entered Sunday’s game with an impressive 2.54 GAA and 0.929 save percentage in his first two AHL games.
Schneider made his pro debut in a game on March 30 in Stockton against the Gulls as the latter team was in the process of wrapping-up a four-game road trip. The Gulls won 4-2 to spoil Schneider’s pro debut but the teenager played well, making 34 saves on 37 shots. San Diego scored an empty net goal to secure the win.
Schneider appeared to be playing up to form when he stopped the Gulls’ first 16 shots in Sunday’s matinee game. But San Diego finally broke through on its third power play of the game when rookie Kallie Kossila netted his first goal in a Gulls uniform off passes from Ondrej Kase and Shea Theodore at the 11:16 mark of the second period.
Kossila, a Finnish national, was making his first professional appearance for the Gulls after signing an amateur tryout agreement out of St. Cloud State University in Minnesota where he piled up 153 points in 157 games.
But his teammates promptly put Schneider in position to pick up his second win as a pro when Tyler Wotherspoon was credited with a goal on a long shot through traffic that beat San Diego starter Matt Hackett. Brett Kulak and Mitchell Heard received credit for the assists on the goal scored at 12:23.
The Gulls, meanwhile, put Hackett back in a position to pick up the win – and clinch a playoff berth – when they went back on the power play with 5:31 left in the middle period. But the visitors were unable to pepper Schneider with any shots and the score remained tied 1-1.
Gulls captain Joe Piskula knocked a shot out of midair that appeared destined to beat Hackett as the Heat created a good scoring chance immediately after killing the penalty.
The second penalty ended with the hosts holding a 22-21 edge in shots thanks to 21 saves by the teen phenom Schneider.
The score would remain deadlocked until Stockton’s Kenny Agostino scored on the first shot of overtime, just 12 seconds after the face-off for the extra period. Freddie Hamilton and Kulak both received credit for assists on the game-winning play after the Gulls initially won and then lost the puck on the face-off.
The overtime winner caught many San Diego fans off guard after waiting 15 minutes for the ice to be resurfaced for the extra period.
Agostino received the game’s first star for netting the OT winner while Kossila was named the game’s second star after scoring his first professional goal for the Gulls. Schneider picked up the game’s third star after stopping 29 of 30 shots to post the win, the second of his budding pro career.
San Diego head coach Dallas Eakins suggested fatigue may have played a factor for his team, which was coming off a physical 5-3 win over a desperate San Jose team the previous evening. The Gulls were back on the ice warming up for Sunday’s game just 17 hours after finishing Saturday’s game.
Eakins said it’s difficult to play an afternoon game right after a game the night before. “Stockton was sitting here, rested up,” the San Diego coach explained. ” They had a day off while we played last night. It’s tough to play two games in a day-and-a-half. We just have to move on.”
Eakins also gave credit to Schneider in turning around to beat his squad. “I think he’s played very well – that’s a tough jump for a goaltender and in both games he’s been real solid,” Eakins noted.
Schneider was obviously elated when picking up his first pro win, calling it a “great feeling.”
“It’s something you dream about growing up,” Schneider told the media in Stockton on the history-making occasion “The guys in front of me deserve a lot of credit for the way they battled, but it’s a good feeling for sure and something I’ll never forget.”
“It was definitely special to get that first win,” Schneider related. “It’s been nice coming here the last week and the guys working as hard as they can for me. They’re blocking shots, doing everything they can to help me out there. It’s definitely a great feeling.”
He credited his teammates for much of the same support in securing his second pro win on Sunday. He also credited more settled play on his part in supporting his teammates’ efforts.
“The more games you play, the more comfortable you get,” Schneider explained. “The more practice time I get kind of helps me with the shot speed and stuff like that. We’re kind of working well as a team right now, clicking and finding ways to win games.”
Schneider now sports an impressive 2.02 GAA and 0.940 save percentage after upping his AHL record to 2-1.
The loss was only the third of the season when the Gulls scored the first goal in a game (27-0-2-1). The Gulls have yet to lose in regulation when scoring the first goal in a game this season.
Theodore has four assists in two games after his latest reassignment from Anaheim.
San Diego now sports a 36-22-3-2 record; Stockton improved to 30-28-2-2.
All five of the California Pacific Division teams own winning records entering the final two weeks of regular season play.
Bakersfield is 28-26-6-2. Both Stockton and Bakersfield are just four points behind fourth place San Jose in the division standings, but need to continue winning in an effort to catch the Barracuda for a possible playoff berth.
Calder Cup playoff update
Four teams in the Western Conference have clinched playoff berths. The Central Division leading Milwaukee Admirals (43-21-3-2) are in, as are the Grand Rapids Griffins (42-25-1-1) and the Lake Erie Monsters (39-21-5-5), the following two teams in the Central Division standings.
The Pacific Division leading Ontario Reign (40-18-4-1) became the first team in the Western Conference to clinch a playoff berth. The Reign continues to own the best points-percentage (0.675) in the conference, followed by Milwaukee (0.659), and Grand Rapids and Lake Erie, both with 0.629 points-percentages.
The Gulls continue to occupy second place in the Pacific Division standings with a 0.611 points-percentage, followed by the third place Texas Stars (0.597 points-percentage), San Jose (0.540 points-percentage), Bakersfield and Stockton, both with 0.516 points-percentages, and the San Antonio Stampede (0.465 points-percentage).
If the playoffs were to start right now, however, the Charlotte Checkers, the fifth-place team in the Central Division, would earn a cross-over berth in the Pacific Division playoffs to replace San Jose based on a better points-percentage. The Checkers are 35-27-3-5 with a 0.557 points-percentage.
Charlotte has put itself back in the playoff race after recovering from a disastrous franchise-worst 10-game winless spell last month.
— Phillip Brents
Epic OT win over Condors nails down Calder Cup playoff berth for Gulls
SAN DIEGO, April 6, 2016 — The American Hockey League’s new Pacific Division has provided some of the most competitive contests in the league this season. The Calder Cup playoff race has only intensified it.
With a playoff berth on the line for the San Diego Gulls and the Bakersfield Condors needing every point possible to stay in the playoff chase, Wednesday’s key AHL match-up at the Valley View Casino Center appeared to bring out the best in both teams. It certainly produced one of the most entertaining games of the season for fans to watch.
The Gulls, needing only one point to punch their ticket to the Calder Cup playoffs, turned in one of their most electrifying performances of the season by twice rallying from three-goal deficits to post a 6-5 overtime win.
Defense was thrown to the wind as both teams battled for precious points in the division standings. The teams combined for 10 goals in regulation and 92 shots. In the end, the Gulls qualified for the Calder Cup playoffs while the Condors earned the chance to play for a playoff berth for at least one more game.
“This was one was huge,” San Diego head coach Dallas Eakins explained after the epic win by his team. “There are obviously some good feelings that we’ve been striving for; it was a real testament for those players who have been through a lot this year and different adversity this year — whether it’s been call-ups, injuries, lots of different things, travel. They battled tonight.
“I was speaking about our guys before the game to a couple of hockey people from other organizations and I was feeling our group has rarely ever thrown in the towel. Sitting up top, watching the game, right when you think you can count the team out, we seem to find a way to come back.
“I can’t remember ever questioning our effort. We’ve had bad bounces or made some bad decisions some nights, absolutely. Whichever 20 guys are dressed I rarely question whether they’re going to quit.”
The Gulls and Condors combined for 33 shots in the first period. The offensive showcase continued in the second period as the teams combined for four goals in the opening nine minutes and five overall in the period.
Special teams played a significant role for the visitors, who would build leads of 3-0 and 5-2 in the game.
The Condors took a 2-0 lead on a pair of first-period goals by Anton Slepyshev, including one on the power play. Bakersfield took a 3-0 lead on a short-handed goal by Josh Currie at 2:58 of the second period. It was the Condors’ 12th short-handed goal of the season.
San Diego starter Ryan Faragher, recently called up from the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL, was the object of the Bakersfield blitzkrieg. However, his spotless play in the final period and overtime gave the hosts the opportunity to steal the victory.
The Gulls made the game interesting by rallying for a pair of goals off the sticks of Brandon Montour (power play goal at 3:55) and Antoine Laganiere (even strength goal at 6:42) early in the second period. But the Condors responded with a goal by Mitch Moroz at the 8:17 mark to go back up by two goals, 4-2.
The visitors rubbed more salt into the wound by scoring a power play goal off a bench minor for too many men on the ice. Matt Ford scored the goal at 15:52, assisted by Bogdan Yakimov and Joey Benik , to put the Condors ahead 5-2.
The teams combined for 62 shots through this point of the contest. But the game was far from over. In fact, the juicy part of the story was yet to be written.
Three goals in opening eight minutes of the third period by San Diego drastically changed the flow of the game.
The Gulls gave the 6,097 in attendance a glimmer of hope when Chris Mueller beat Bakersfield goaltender Eetu Laurikainen with 4:01 elapsed in the third period to pull his team to within two goals on the scoreboard. The goal was Mueller’s team-leading 19th of the season; Mike Sgarbossa received credit for the assist.
The teams collected matching minors 1:27 later for four-on-four hockey. The extra space seemed to rejuvenate the hosts as Shea Theodore hit the crossbar.
More shots on the Condors’ cage were to follow.
Bakersfield was called for a slashing penalty with 12:56 to play, putting the hosts on the power play. It took just 12 seconds for the Gulls to score to trim the Condor lead to 5-4 when Sgarbossa scored on a rebound at close range with the hosts owning a four-on-three advantage. Mueller and Theodore picked up assists.
Incredibly, the game was tied 5-5 just seven seconds later as the Gulls scored off the ensuing face-off. Theodore shot the puck through the five hole. Matt Bailey received credit for the assist at 7:24.
The San Diego fans gave the Gulls a standing ovation at this point, and it was well deserved.
But the outcome still wasn’t settled. Laurikainen stopped San Diego’s Joseph Cramarossa on a breakaway with 6:02 to play to keep the score level.
The Gulls went on the power play with 5:03 to play in regulation and, while the hosts generated several scoring opportunities, Laurikainen held firm between the pipes to put the teams back to five-on-five skating for the remainder of regulation play.
Laurikainen then made a skate save with 32 seconds left on the clock to send the game into overtime.
In making it to overtime, each team earned a point in the division standings. But the bonus point remained the goal for both squads.
In the five-minute three-on-three overtime period, Hackett made a save on a dangerous shot by Zach Boychuck before Corey Tropp muscled home the game-winner from point-blank range just 1:44 into the extra period.
The San Diego players on the ice went nuts, as did the team’s fans in the stands, many of whom had to be in disbelief at the turn of events.
Tropp’s game-winner came on the Gulls’ 50th shot in the game.
“We kept shooting the puck, and we were fortunate to get back in the game,” explained Tropp, who was playing in his 14th game with the Gulls since being acquired from Albany. “The big thing is that we capitalized on our chances. It’s a testament to the guys n the room.”
“Obviously, you’ll have nights like this … In a 68-game season, you’ll have games like this.”
The teams combined for the most shots in a Gulls game this season and the most goals (91) in the teams’ 12-game series – the most in any Gulls series against any opponent.
Despite San Diego’s OT win, Bakersfield won the season series between the teams with 16 points (6-2-3-1) to 12 points (6-6-0) for the Gulls.
The Condors (28-26-7-2, 0.516 points-percentage) gained a point on Charlotte (36-28-3-5, 0.556 points-percentage) in the cross-over playoff bid but remained four points behind fourth place San Jose (29-24-8-3, 0.539 points-percentage) in the Pacific Division standings. Bakersfield moved into sole possession of fifth place in the division standings – one point ahead of sixth place Stockton (30-29-2-2, 0.508 points-percentage).
Charlotte lost, 2-1, to visiting Rockford while San Jose dropped a 4-3 overtime decision in San Antonio while Pacific Division leading Ontario topped host Stockton 4-1.
Ontario leads the Gulls by eight points in the division standings and is on the verge of clinching home ice advantage throughout the divisional playoffs while San Diego moved 0.020 percentage points ahead of the third place Texas Stars in the battle for home ice advantage in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Gulls have four regular season games remaining – two in Stockton on Saturday (April 9) and Sunday (April 10) and two at home against Ontario (April 15-16).
Gulls players obviously fed off the energy of the momentous win.
“The goal at the start of the season was to get to the playoffs,” Tropp said. “The next goal is to keep knocking about round to round.”
“This is our first year in San Diego and making the playoffs is huge,” Theodore commented. “It’s been our goal from the start.
“We’re confident in ourselves. If we play our game, we believe we can beat anyone.”
Such a playing philosophy could pay dividends for the team in the upcoming Calder Cup playoffs.
Tailfeathers
Montour and Theodore matched each other with a goal and two assists in Wednesday’s victory. Montour continues to lead the Gulls in team scoring with 55 points (12 goals, 43 assists).
Mueller ranks second on the team with 52 points (19 goals, 33 points), followed by Sgarbossa with 42 points (16 goals, 26 assists). Tropp has 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists) in 65 games with both Albany and San Diego. Theodore has 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) in 50 games despite receiving multiple call-ups to the NHL Ducks throughout the season.
Montour received accolades earlier this week as a selection to the AHL’s All-Rookie team.
Calder Cup playoffs
The Pacific Division playoffs with start with four teams, either the first- through fourth-place regular season finishers in the division if the fourth-place finisher in the Pacific Division standings has a higher points-percentage than the fifth-place finisher in the Central Division, or the top three regular season finishers in the Pacific Division, plus the Central Division’s fifth-place finisher, as the fourth team included in the Pacific Division playoffs if the fifth-place team in the Central Division has a better points-percentage than the fourth-place team in the Pacific Division.
It’s somewhat complicated at first glance, but the key point is that the team that will earn the fourth seed in the Pacific Division semifinals will either be the fourth-place regular season finisher in the Pacific Division or the fifth-place team in the Central Division depending on which team has a higher points-percentage.
The points-percentage formula is required because the five new California teams are playing only 68 regular season games as opposed to 76 regular season games for the AHL’s remaining 25 teams.
The playoffs start with four divisional semifinals, each with four teams.
The Pacific Division winner will play the Central Division winner in the Western Conference Finals. The Western Conference champion will meet the Eastern Conference champion in the Calder Cup Finals.
Home-ice advantage in all series will be granted to the team with the higher points percentage.
The division semifinals will be best-of-five series. All other series are in a best-of-seven format.
— Phillip Brents
Gulls’ rookie Montour named to AHL honor roll
San Diego defenseman Brandon Montour has earned recognition on the AHL First All-Star Team and AHL All-Rookie Team for the 2015-16 season.
Montour leads the league in both power play assists (24) and power play points (30). He ranks third overall among all players in the league with 43 assists (first among defensemen). His 55 total points rank in a tie with Ontario’s Backman for most on the five California teams. The 55 points also rank second among AHL defensemen.
“It’s good to get recognized like that,” Montour explained. “Obviously, it’s been a good year and I think for myself I’m happy with how I’ve been playing. Obviously, we’ve had a good year as a team, so it’s definitely been good having those players with me. It’s been a fun year.”
Over the course of the season, he has worked to refine his game. “My defensive game has definitely grown a lot positioning-wise, when to go up in the rush,” he said. “I think the defensive aspect of my game has improved.”
Montour joins Ontario Reign goaltender Peter Budaj on the AHL First All-Star Team and San Antonio left wing Millo Rantanen on the All-Rookie Team from the Pacific Division.
Budaj, a 14-year veteran, continues to lead the league with a 39-14-4 record, 1.75 goals-against average, 0.931 save percentage and nine shutouts. He earned an emergency call-up to the Kings earlier this season and posted an overtime win over the New York Rangers.
Rantanen was the third Pacific Division player to receive all-league honors, as he earned berths on both the All-Rookie Team and Second All-Star Team. He tops all rookie scorers with 57 points (22 goals, 35 assists).
— Phillip Brents
Gulls’ Kerdiles named San Diego Hall of Champions Star of the Month for March
Gulls winger Nic Kerdiles was among 14 professional, amateur and high school athletes honored as Stars of the Month for March by the San Diego Hall of Champions.
Kerdiles, who grew up in Irvine, missed 18 games with an upper-body injury in mid-season before returning to the team’s line-up in late February. After his return to active status, he led the team with 12 points during March and recorded a career-high nine-game point streak (seven goals, nine assists) for 16 points.
