Game 61: San Diego Gulls vs Ontario Reign – Mar 23

With Sam Steel and Kiefer Sherwood being recalled to the Ducks but also getting Josh Mahura and Trevor Murphy back from injury – Dallas Eakins elected to go with the additional defender, Thompson while Moldenhauer was scratched. Earlier in the week Alex Dostie, Chris Forney and Angus Redmond had been sent to the ECHL.

The Reign took advantage of a sluggish San Diego start and took the early lead less than two minutes in as several Gulls were guilty of failing to tie up their men in front. 1-0 Reign.

San Diego immediately responded, still looking slightly disjointed they managed to generate some high danger opportunities through Adam Cracknell and Chase De Leo; who was inches away from tying it up but a fluttering midair puck would not go.

De Leo was rewarded a minute later when he threw a puck back in front from behind the net and it deflected off the Reign defender in front past Petr Budaj. 1-1 Tie game

The Gulls continued to tip momentum heavily in their direction as on the very next shift Justin Kloos received a pass at the blue line, went wide to the right of the flat footed Reign defense and sent a hard wrist shot high blocker side by Budaj for the lead. 2-1 Gulls.

Sam Carrick drew a penalty when he took a slash after shifting his way into a shooting position in the slot but the Gulls could not get set and only generated the one chance when Sam Carrick faked a pass at the blue line then went in on his own but was turned aside. Matt Berry was tripped awkwardly into the boards fighting for a puck in the Reign zone and the Gulls went back to the man advantage.

San Diego were much better this time – getting in the Reign zone and immediately throwing shots on net. A Kossila attempt from the near side was turned aside and the deflected puck almost bounced back in off a Reign defender before Budaj stretched out to stop that also but Kloos beat him to it and fed it to Kopacka in the slot who wasted no time firing it high over the sprawling Slovak

On the next shift – a Reign chance was turned aside by Boyle and the rebound was sent up ice to a streaking Chase De Leo, the La Mirada native powered ahead of the comparatively slower Reign defenders and swept the puck by Budaj for the 4-1 lead.

The period ended with shots 17-11 in favor of the Gulls and up 4-1.

Much like the first period the Reign caught the Gulls napping to start and bunted in a rebound in front of Boyle as again the San Diego defenders failed to tie up sticks. 4-2 Gulls.

Play was middling for much of the rest of the second period – Ben Street had an excellent opportunity to retake the three goal lead but hit the post off of a one-timer from a cross crease pass from Ben Thomson.

Kevin Boyle made a huge glove save off a point blank one timer opportunity in front and on a play a few minutes later – Jake Dotchin was assessed a slashing penalty that drew a scrum after the whistle. The Gulls appeared to be on their way to killing their 31st straight penalty when a series of missed calls by the officials lead to the Reign netting a power play goal and breaking the San Diego streak killing streak.

Shots were 14-7 for the Reign in the period and shots totaled 25-24 in favor of the visitors by periods end with the Gulls holding the narrow 4-3 lead.

Both teams traded chances to start the third before the Reign were sent to the box again for tripping as Sieloff was brought down behind his net. San Diego could not convert and Sam Carrick was called on almost the exact same play down the other end of the ice a few minutes later. The Gulls were able to kill his indiscretion.

The Gulls got a potential break when Matt Luff caught Patrick Sieloff with an inadvertent high stick that was bad enough to get him ejected from the game and give the Gulls a five minute power play but they were again stifled, despite generating several opportunities.

It was also pointed out by Andy Zilch that there had been no sign of Kevin Roy or Matt Berry thus far in the third period. Roy was wincing in pain after he appeared to take a pass or hard shot off his ankle in the second period so I am guessing it was something to do with that. Berry – I am guessing it was something to do with when he was tripped awkwardly into the boards earlier in the game on a play that the Reign were assessed a penalty on.

With two minutes left you got the sense that something bad might happen if the Gulls did not get an insurance marker soon or at least show some sense of urgency and sure enough something bad did happen. A bad bounce in the Gulls zone popped right out in front of Boyle – Trevor Murphy dived in an attempt to poke it out of harms way but his swipe pushed it right to the Reign captain Sutter who took a hard wrist shot that sailed over Boyles shoulder to tie things up.

San Diego controlled things in OT – coming close on separate breakaways from Chase De Leo and Sam Carrick – Carricks shot seemingly going in but it was revealed on replay that it hit the cross bar then bounced on the wrong side of the goal line before Budaj was able to cover and control it.

Teams headed to a shootout tied 4-4 and shots 39-37 for the Gulls.

Mike Amadio gave the Reign the lead in the 2nd round but Kalle Kossila tied it back up right after. Boyle stopped the 3rd Reign shooter and Justin Kloos came in clutch by slowly deeking in on Budaj before putting it by him to give the Gulls the win and the crucial two points