that "gap" is the area for the printable version.
delete the following from head.tpl and add it somewhere else:
------------------
{******** Remove this line to display how much products there are online ****
<tr>
{insert name="productsonline" assign="_productsonline"}
<td colspan="2" class="NumberOfArticles" align="right">
{if $config.Appearance.show_in_stock eq "Y"}
{insert name="itemsonline" assign="_itemsonline"}
{$lng.lbl_products_and_items_online|substitute:"X" :$_productsonline:"Y":$_itemsonline}
{else}
{$lng.lbl_products_online|substitute:"X":$_product sonline}
{/if}
</td>
</tr>
**** Remove this line to display how much products there are online ********}
{if $main ne "fast_lane_checkout"}
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="middle" height="32">
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<tr>
<td class="HeadTopPad"><img src="{$ImagesDir}/spacer.gif" alt="" /></td>
{if (($main eq 'catalog' && $cat ne '') || $main eq 'product' || ($main eq 'comparison' && $mode eq 'compare_table') || ($main eq 'choosing' && $smarty.get.mode eq 'choose')) && $config.Appearance.enabled_printable_version eq 'Y'}
<td class="PrintableRow" align="right">{include file="printable.tpl"}</td>
{/if}
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
{else}
{* Fast Lane Checkout page *}
<tr>
<td colspan="2" class="FLCTopPad"><img src="{$ImagesDir}/spacer.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
{/if}