Game 22: San Diego Gulls @ Bakersfield Condors – Dec 14

I managed to catch this one live – tentatively daring to hope the return of Andy Welinski and the acquisition of veteran Adam Cracknell might turn things around. Cracknell slotted in on the Lundestrom line with De Leo while Thomson was elevated to join the third line with Steel and Tropp, leaving Carrick to center the fourth line with Fiore and Berry.

San Diego came out determined and controlled play up until the three minute mark when Phil Esposito took the puck from behind the San Diego net and snuck a wrap around in on a play that Coreau probably should have had covered. Note: Due to the presence of Esposito I had “Desposito” stuck in my head for the entire game.

San Diego quelled some Bakersfield momentum after the goal and managed to get their own back off a brilliant shift from Fiore. Carrick essentially creating the goal with sheer force of will, outstripping the Bakersfield defender down low, getting the puck to an open Berry behind the net who in turn fed Fiore in front for the easy put in.

Shortly after, Troy Terry drew a tripping penalty on a play that would have made the highlight reels for years to come as he undressed the Bakersfield defence, but was tripped at the moment of truth. San Diego had some looks on the Power play and appeared to be looking to Welinski to be the final shooter but could not convert. Carrick drew another penalty on the shift immediately after the extra man advantage. San Diego had some good passing and managed to execute not just one but two cross crease backhand passes, but it was disjointed and erratic, symbolic of a team that doesn’t seem to be completely familiar with each-other. To add insult to injury, Bakersfield forced a turnover in the neutral zone and sped away to take a 2-1 lead just as the penalty expired.

The period ended 2-1 Condors with the Gulls out-shooting the host thirteen to six.

San Diego got yet another power play near the start of the third on yet another tripping penalty, but again play looked disjointed, and although there was good movement and space, no-one seemed to know how to get into the right place at the right time.

Just before the midway mark, Simon Benoit was assessed a slashing penalty but San Diego made the Colorado power play look embarrassingly bad, not allowing them to setup and generating several chances as well as an offensive face off during its tenure.

The Gulls again controlled play for much of the next five minutes until a Bakersfield rush against the Terry line led to a goal from the Condors on some poor man to man defense. The puck bounced around in the danger area by the hash marks, eventually getting to an open Condor who finished it for a strike past a bewildered Coreau. 3-1 Condors.

The period ended 3-1 Condors with the host out-shooting the Gulls 9-6.

The Gulls finally got some life when Max Jones drew a holding penalty four minutes into the final frame – bodily exhibiting a Getzlaf-like refusal to give up the puck down low and forcing the Condor defender to weakly tackle him. The Gulls finally converted with the man-advantage on the ensuing power play, leaving it until the three seconds to get the puck down low to Corey Tropp, who finished it off with his patented through the legs and to the forehand in the crease move to bring the Gulls within one.

San Diego would get another play a minute later when Steel was tripped coming out of the Gulls’ zone. The power play was a fizzler and painted a perfect picture of the Gulls’ season thus far as Sam Steel and Isac Lundestrom collided at the offensive blue line on an attempted zone entry.

Thankfully as the Gulls did eventually enter the zone, a long range shot from the point led to a big rebound and a scramble in front where Kale Kossila potted it in from point blank range to bring it to a 3-3 tie.

Unable to finish things off in regulation, San Diego began OT with Jones, Carrick and Welinski. San Diego rolled three lines of 2 forward 1 defender combos, and although things got very interesting, chances were more in favour of the Condors. Thankfully, Coreau came up big – not just once but twice- sending things to a shoot out to decide.

Neither team could score with their first two shooters, but the Condors converted with their third and the pressure was on Sam Carrick to bring things even in the final round. He could not, and the Gulls dropped their fifth straight.