Game 41: San Diego Gulls vs Ontario Reign – Feb 1

With Jacob Larsson a late scratch due to illness, Keaton Thompson took his spot on the backend. While Kalle Kossila made a surprise return, slotting in on the wing with Ben Street and Corey Tropp. Simon Benoit also got back in the line up. It would also be the first time the Gulls would face the newly acquired Grundstrom.

The Gulls came out strong but perhaps too strong as they took back to back penalties – killing both in succession while also getting quite a bit of offensive possession despite having the lesser man advantage. They were at one point playing a great game of keep away until a too-many-men call put them down an additional man and they were forced to kill a thirty second two man disadvantage. Once the Reign won the faceoff it was only a matter of eventually getting the puck down low to Matt Moulson who outwaited Boyle to put it high over his shoulder but thankfully the goal was scored just as the thirty seconds had expired so it washed out both penalties.

Ontario hemmed the Gulls in their zone for a few shifts before San Diego was able to turn the tide and switch momentum, getting some shots on Peterson who appeared uncharacteristally shakey in this game. The Kloos, De Leo, Sherwood line was particularly dominant and De Leo was in the right spot at the right time to collect a reboud from a Kloos drive to get the Gulls on the board.

The period ended with San Diego on a power play thanks to noted shithead Kurtis McDermid. The momentum carried through to the second period from that powerplay resulted in another man advantage and the Gulls held the zone through numerous Reign attempts to clear until a nice passing play between Steel, Terry and Carrick resulted in an easy tip in goal for Carrick.

San Diego were to quote the broadcast “buzzing” and continued to harass the Reign in their own zone, getting close on more than one chance before a deflected puck from an attempted poke-check by Sherwood in the corner sent the puck into the slot and Sam Steel beat two Ontario defenders to chip it over the surprised Peterson.

On the very next shift, with the Reign getting a point shot on Boyle the Gulls collected the puck and brought it up ice through Sam Steel, gaining the Reign zone bringing to the left side and dropping it back to Terry who then in turn found a wide open Jack Kopacka for the easy goal.

Seven minutes later and with the Gulls still enjoying most of possession the Carrick line decided to get in on the fun, entering the Reign zone with some nifty one touch passes (including a between the legs one from Carrick) executing what looked like a set play that ended with the puck on Matt Berrys in space on the right side who wasted no time in roofing it to run the score up to 5-1.

Ontario mercifully pulled Peterson after that an Budaj entered in relief.

San Diego wasted no time in testing Budaj as he faced and shut down a shorthanded breakaway from Jack Kopacka as well as another one-on-one opportunity from the 20 year old rookie courtesy of a nice setup from Terry. Noted shithead Kurtis McDermid attempted to start something when he lined up a speeding Max Jones but Jones sidestepped the hit at the last second.

The third period continued much as the second had left off, San Diego winning puck battles, finessing plays and the Reign doing all they could do prevent scoring chances. A San Diego penalty eventually turned into a powerplay and Sam Steel finished off a flurry in front to his second of the night and his fourth point of the game.

Ontario managed to garner a few shifts of pressure in the San Diego zone – mostly courtesy of Boko Imama – but the Gulls stood strong and came away 5-1 winners.

Shots were 37 to 17 in favor of the Gulls – this really has been a completely different season – it was only just one year ago that it was San Diego allowing 35+ shots a night.