Salt Lake Peppers the Gulls

SALT LAKE CITY — The Gulls suffered their worst loss in nearly a year Friday, falling behind by eight goals on the way to a 10-1 loss to the Salt Lake Golden Eagles in the Delta Center.

In front of 4,948, Salt Lake practically put the game away in the first period, scoring four times. After two periods, Salt Lake led, 7-0, and Gulls goalie Rick Knickle and his 2.60 goals-against road average were history.

The victory allowed Salt Lake (16-16-3, 35 points) to move into third place in the Western Division of the International Hockey League. The Gulls dropped to fourth at 17-14 and 34 points.

Salt Lake’s Shawn Heaphy opened the third-period scoring with his third goal of the game before the Gulls finally got a goal. Alan Leggett scored a short-handed goal to avoid the shutout, but Salt Lake scored twice more in the final minutes--both times short-handed--to hand the Gulls their most lopsided defeat since they lost, 9-1, on Jan. 18 in Indianapolis.

Heaphy finished with three goals and four assists for seven points, an individual record against the Gulls.

“Someone broke in our hotel room, stole our skates and we had to play in tennis shoes,” Gulls Coach Don Waddell said sarcastically. “No, that’s not what really happened but that’s how it looked. It was our first time (being routed) this year, we can only hope it’s our last.”