Gulls Biweekly Report 6

By Thomas Harrington

The Gulls played seven games over the last two weeks and had a record of 5-1-1. Their offense continues to be their strength, as they scored four or more goals five times. Trevor Zegras has been one of the players primarily driving that offensive surge, as he scored 10 points in six games.

Gulls Out Pace The Reign

The Gulls opened things up by hosting Ontario, in a game that saw a total of 11 goals scored. Zegras opened the scoring 37 seconds into the game, but Ontario tied it up. Chase De Leo put the Gulls back on top, but Ontario responded with a goal of their own and it was 2-2 after the first. In the second period, Benoit-Olivier Groulx gave San Diego the lead again, but the Reign tied it before the middle frame was over.

In the final period, Bryce Kindopp and De Leo both scored to give the Gulls their first two-goal lead of the night, but Ontario scored to make it a one-goal game. Zegras and Andrew Poturalski both scored into the empty net to give San Diego a 7-4 win. Zegras finished the game with four points. 

Gulls Edge Reign In OT

The Gulls then traveled to Ontario for a rematch, but it was a much lower-scoring affair. Zegras scored the only goal of the first period, Ontario scored the only goal of the third period, and the game went to overtime tied at 1-1. In the extra session, Vinni Lettieri scored on the powerplay to give the Gulls the 2-1 victory.

The Gulls continued on the road, traveling to Bakersfield, and it was their only bad game of the past two weeks. The Condors scored a goal in the first and second periods to take a 2-0 lead, but De Leo made it 2-1 early in the third. However, Bakersfield then scored three unanswered goals, including one empty netter, to take the 5-1 win.

Gulls Win Big Twice In San Jose

The Gulls continued their road trip with a pair of games in San Jose. After the letdown against Bakersfield, San Diego bounced back against the Barracuda. In the first game, Poturalski scored just 18 seconds into the game, and Alex Limoges made it 2-0 before the first was over. Sam Carrick scored early in the second to make it 3-0, but San Jose responded with a goal of their own early in the third to make it 3-1. Limoges scored his second goal of the game on the powerplay, and Axel Andersson, acquired in the Ondrej Kase deal and who recently joined the Gulls after spending the season in Europe, scored his first career AHL goal. San Diego won 5-1.

In the next game, Andersson got the scoring started early, but the Barracuda tied the game up late in the first. In the second, Lettieri gave the Gulls the early lead, and Simon Benoit scored his first of the season to make it 3-1. San Jose scored to cut the lead in half, but Andrew Agozzino scored with two seconds left in the period to restore the two-goal lead. In the final frame, Carrick scored into the empty net, and then with the goalie back in, Zegras scored to give the Gulls a 6-2 win.

San Diego Earns Split Against Henderson

The Gulls returned home for a pair of games against Henderson, a team that has given San Diego fits all season long. In the first game, Agozzino and Lettieri scored the only goals of the first to make it 2-0, but the Silver Knights scored in the second to make it 2-1. In the third, Groulx restored the two-goal lead, and then scored into the empty net to give San Diego a 4-1 win.

In the final game, Henderson scored a minute in, but Agozzino tied it up a few minutes later. In the second, the Silver Knights took the lead, but Zegras and Lettieri scored to give the Gulls their first lead of the night. Henderson replied with a goal of their own, and then Limoges put the Gulls back on top. The Silver Knights tied the game at 4-4 before the second was over. Neither team scored in the third and the game went to overtime, where Henderson was able to score and get the 5-4 victory.

Final Thoughts 

The Gulls only play five games over the next two weeks, and have eight games remaining in the season overall. San Diego will start out at home hosting Tucson for a pair of games. They’ll then travel to Ontario for a game, before returning home to face the Reign for their final home game of the season. The Gulls will then travel to Bakersfield, before finishing the season in Colorado with three straight games.

Zegras seems to be just getting better in almost every game with the Gulls. Besides him, Groulx, Lettieri, and Agozzino have been getting it done at forward. Defensively, Andersson has been impressive in his few games with San Diego, and Josh Mahura continues to be one of the team’s top rear guards.

The Gulls find themselves in a battle with Henderson and Bakersfield for the top spot in the Pacific Division. There’s no question that these are the three best teams in the division, it’s just a question of what order they’ll finish the season in.

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April 30th, 2021