SEALS STUMBLE DESPITE SCIGLIANO’S SOLID PERFORMANCE

December 29, 2018

(Calgary, Alberta – December 28, 2018) – The San Diego Seals goaltending and defense was strong in a 9-5 defeat at Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday night against the Calgary Roughnecks.

Goaltender Frank Scigliano was the backbone of the Seals defensive unit as he stopped 49 shots – 29 in the first half – in his first game against his former team.

“It’s really bittersweet,” said Scigliano. “I thought we played a good half, but that was it. They played a full 60 (minutes) tonight and chipped away at us. [Calgary] is a veteran team and we can take some positives out of it, but no one is satisfied with a loss here.”

General manager and head coach Patrick Merrill credited the Seals goaltender for his role in the staunch defense.

“He kept us in that game,” said general manager and head coach Patrick Merrill. “I think we would all agree in that room that we owed him a better game in front of him. It’s his former team that he’s playing against – it’s pretty emotional for him. I was happy to see him play that way.”

Transition player Brandon Clelland won every face-off he took in the first half, and added a breakaway goal to get the Seals on the board in the first quarter. He was part of the defensive unit that held the Roughnecks to just two goals in the first half.

“I think the face-offs were more of a team effort,” said Clelland. “I can only do so much, and I have to give a lot of credit to the guys on the line for picking up those loose balls. I think our defense really stayed together as a unit. There were a few loose balls we could have picked up, but we played the first half as a five-man unit.”

Calgary scored more goals in the fourth quarter (5) than it scored in the first three frames combined (4). Dan Dawson and Cam Holding both scored their first goals in a Seals uniform, and San Diego’s penalty kill was successful on five out of seven opportunities.

The San Diego Seals will play the Saskatchewan Rush in Saskatoon on Sat., Jan. 5 to open the new year. The inaugural season home-opener is set for Sat., Jan. 12 at 7:00pm PST against the Rochester Knighthawks at Pechanga Arena San Diego. Reserve your seats today at SealsLax.com.