Gulls Bi-Weekly Report 7

Logo: San Diego Gulls

By Thomas Harrington

The Gulls played six games over the last two weeks, going 3-2-1. Things didn’t start out great, but the Gulls finished strong with three straight victories. They’re going to need more games like their most recent three if they want to climb back into the playoff race.

Gulls Lose Twice Against Bakersfield

San Diego started out the past two weeks by hosting Bakersfield for a pair of games. If the Gulls won both, they would have passed the Condors in the standings. Bakersfield got on board first, just 24 seconds into the game, and made it 2-0 less than two minutes later. Justin Kloos responded for the Gulls and it was 2-1 after the opening period. In the second, Sam Carrick scored the only goal to tie the game up. In the third, Bakersfield scored just a few minutes into the period, and that was it; they skated off with a 3-2 victory.

The next night, things started better, as Carrick scored to give the Gulls a 1-0 lead halfway through the first period. Neither team scored in the second, but the Condors tied the game early in the third. The game went to overtime, and then to a shootout. In the shootout, Alex Broadhurst and Jack Kopacka scored, but Kloos, Carrick, and Chris Mueller were stopped. Bakersfield scored three times and won the game 2-1.

San Diego Ends Losing Streak

Next up, the Gulls hosted Iowa for a pair of games. Neither team scored in the first, but Blake Pietila gave the Gulls the lead early in the second. The Wild responded with a pair of goals to take the lead, but Carrick scored to tie the game at 2-2 before the second was over. In the third, Iowa scored the only goal and won 3-2.

After dropping three straight games to start off 2020, the Gulls were determined to end this losing streak. Things didn’t start out well, as Iowa scored two goals in the first to take a 2-0 lead. In the second, Carrick and Mueller both scored to tie the game. Just 17 seconds into the third, Carrick scored his second of the night to give San Diego the lead, but Iowa managed to tie it up. The third ended with a tie, and Josh Mahura scored in overtime to give the Gulls the 4-3 win. This was Troy Terry’s first game since recovering from injury, and he registered two assists.

Gulls Blow Out Reign

The Gulls finished their homestand with a game against their rivals the Ontario Reign. Brent Gates, Jr. scored just 22 seconds into the game, but Ontario scored just over a minute later. Terry scored a late goal to make it 2-1 after the first period. In the second, Carrick and Brendan Guhle both scored to make it a 4-1 game. In the third, Kloos and Antoine Morand scored to give the Gulls a 6-1 win.

Empty Net Goals Help San Diego Beat Stockton

The Gulls finished things off with a trip to Stockton. Kiefer Sherwood gave the Gulls the lead with a shorthanded goal halfway through the first. In the second, Stockton tied the game, but Gates put the Gulls back on top before the middle frame was over. In the third, neither team scored for a long time, until the Heat pulled their goalie. Sherwood and Broadhurst both scored empty-net goals to give the Gulls the 4-1 victory.

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Over the next two weeks, the Gulls will play five games. They’ll start out by hosting Tucson before traveling to Bakersfield. San Diego will then return home to host Tucson again, and then travel to Grand Rapids for a pair of games.

There’s no player hotter than Carrick in San Diego right now. He’s already played several for the Ducks this season, and given his recent play for the Gulls, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was called back up again. Both Guhle and Mahura are playing well on the blueline, but the Ducks may want to continue to play them in the AHL for a little longer before bringing either of them back up to the NHL.

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The Gulls are currently just two points behind Ontario and three behind Bakersfield. Those two losses to the Condors are really looming over them right now. With a couple of games against Tucson, the top team in the Pacific, it’s going to be a challenging couple of weeks, but if the Gulls can beat the Roadrunners twice and pick up another couple of victories, it will probably be enough to start moving them up the standings again.

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January 17th, 2020