After Chad Johnson failed to produce any wins, Bob Murray tried his hand at a second method to replace the then injured John Gibson. He called up one of the most reliable farm hands the San Diego Gulls had to offer in Kevin Boyle. At only twenty-seven years of age, Boyle was already making a name for himself down in San Diego. He sported save percentages no lower than .921 through his first two years with the Gulls, and he was the main goalie that kept the Gulls competitive.
He was still incredibly young and inexperienced, but the ship was sinking really fast, and it was Murray’s only option. What happened next was a bit of both decent and not-so-great.
Kevin Boyle’s Ups And Downs
Unexpectedly, Boyle’s first game with the Ducks was a 1-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks at home. He was the first Ducks goalie since John Gibson to win their first game in net that also was a shutout. It was a sign of great things to come, as he showed the promise to keep the team going with Miller. But, even the best rookies are prone to rookie mistakes, and the next four games Boyle played in were all losses.
A Distinctive Lack Of Goals
The team only scored four goals in the five games that Boyle saw, which didn’t help at all. Still, he played well and kept games relatively close despite the Ducks and their general lack of offense. His heart and play alone deserve recognition.
Even though he only had one win in his five games played, the important part was that for someone his age, he kept the team in games they had no business being in.