Game 9: San Diego Gulls @ Tuscon Roadrunners – Nov 7

With Sam Carrick and Chase De Leo recalled, the Gulls were forced to recall Tyler Soy from the ECHL but did not insert him into the line-up. Eakins opting instead to go with seven defenders again and putting both Thompson and Oleksy back in.

They were also without Logan Shaw due to illness (again, why couldn’t they give Soy at least a chance?)

San Diego started off well, controlling play in parts and getting a good scoring chance off a Simon Benoit fluttering shot that Giovanni Fiore batted down in the slot and the proceeded to throw on net.

The period ended with Tuscon out-shooting San Diego 9 to 4.

The second period began with much the same back-and-forth as the first until the 17:19 mark when an intercepted pass on the Gulls breakout allowed Mario Kempe to come in the left side uncontested and open the scoring. Mahura and Megna were both caught too far up ice on the play.

San Diego had a few chances courtesy of Troy Terry but Tucson poured on the pressure in the remaining five minutes of the frame as momentum swung their way. After what seemed like a minute of being hemmed in their own zone and unable to win any puck battles or get near the puck, Corey Tropp blocked a slapshot that left him writhing in pain and unable to regain his feet.

Tuscon took full advantage and continued to pepper the Gulls net, eventually squeaking one by Correau as the rest of the now shorthanded Gulls struggled to defend while severely fatigued.

Less than a minute later after getting a chance in the Tuscon zone, the Gulls found themselves again on their heels and unable to locate the puck with Mahura again too far up the ice. The Roadrunners found themselves with a two on one down-low that they executed for the 3-0 lead.

San Diego had to kill a Keaton Thompson minor directly after just to add to the adversity but were able to turn some of the momentum back by doing so with ease and getting a couple of shorthanded chances during the course of it. The period ended with Tuscon still holding the most dangerous lead in hockey and shots 13 to 5 in favour of the home team. Note: The Tuscon score counters have always been dubious with shot-count, San Diego did get thoroughly outplayed in the 2nd but I don’t think they only put one shot on net.

San Diego needed to start out well in the third and they did, earning a power play as Jo Blandisi was interfered with as he sped up ice on an odd man rush. San Diego’s power play was 4th in the league heading into this game and Tuscon’s penalty kill – dead last. San Diego did not take long to set up, moving the puck around and winning battles before Corey Tropp found himself down low where he completed his patented spin-o-rama blind backhand pass through the crease to Giovanni Fiore who fired home the one-timer.

San Diego had several chances and appeared to be carrying momentum as well as another power-play opportunity but Tuscon were able to kill it off and caught the Gulls short on the back-end to score another outnumbered-attack marker, re-extending their lead to three.

Desperate to get the comeback push, San Diego again came out with numbers and speed. After a few shifts with some great opportunities, it was the kid line – led by Steel winning a puck battle and getting a puck in front to Terry whose shot ricocheted to Megna at the point where the Gulls’ captain walked in an slammed home their second goal of the night.

With five minutes left, San Diego kept the pressure on, running shift after shift in the Tuscon zone. At the 3:05 mark Mahura had a clear shooting lane with traffic in front. The rebound sat neatly for Corey Tropp, who put a backhand on and then collected the rebound from that and swiped it home to make it 4-3.

Then Sustr gave the puck up from his own zone on a terrible pass and Tuscon pounced to go back ahead by two. They added an empty net marker to that and it was all over.

The comeback was fun while it lasted, but ultimately costly mistakes early earned the Gulls their fourth straight defeat.