Game 67: San Diego Gulls @ Tucson Roadrunners – Apr 12

With both teams bolstered by their (barring injury) full strength line-ups this would be the first of a back to back power-packed slug-fest for the right to proceed into the postseason. The Gulls had the added thought of vengeance for how Tuscon ended their season prematurely last year in their building as well as looking to respond after their lackluster performance in their last game.

Coach Dallas Eakins made two changes to his line-up – unsurprisingly scratching rookie Josh Mahura after he appeared to be completely out of sorts in the previous loss but shockingly he also sat Jack Kopacka, who I thought had played a very good game. Trevor Murphy and Brent Gates Jr. took both of the aforementioned players spots.

Things did not start well for the Gulls as Captain Jaycob Megna was given a tripping penalty on a weak call at the Gulls blue line, on the resulting power play the Roadrunners shot one by Boyle through a screen to make it 1-0 less than four minutes in.

San Diego responded via Ben Street as he received a beautiful pass from Corey Tropp, sped in on the breakaway and buried it to tie the game up at 1.

A minute later the Roadrunners would take the lead again on some poor coverage down low, winning a puck battle and getting it to Conor Garland who then looked off a pass in front and shifted to his backhand to put it over Boyles shoulder. Roadrunners 2-1.

After the next TV Timeout it seemed Jake Dotchin had engaged in a fight with a Roadrunners player and was sent packing with a game misconduct and the additional minor given to the Gulls, served by Tropp. San Diego killed the minor but the mystery remains why it was worthy of a misconduct and why the Roadrunners player was not given something similar.

The back and forth scoring ground to a halt after this but Tuscon held the majority of possession and chances as it seemed frustratingly like the Gulls forwards did not seem engaged defensively at all.

Max Jones might have had a glorious opportunity in front but was taken down behind the play – and as per usual with the officials lately – it was not called.

The period ended with the Roadrunners spending an entire minute (over a span of three separate icings) in the Gulls zone. Shots were 13-12 for the home team after twenty minutes of action.

Nearly half way through the middle frame the Gulls suddenly came to life when they were finally given a power play courtesy of a roughing call on Cracknell. After a face off win from Steel the Gulls set up in an Umbrella formation and a back pass to Welinski was swept to Steel at the right half boards where he one timed it perfectly through Aidin Hill to tie the game up at 2.

Gates Jr, Ben Street and Corey Tropp almost followed that up with a rush that ended with a net-front scramble and the officials deemed it worthy of giving Ben Street and Gregoire matching roughing minors. Justin Kloos made things worse by accidentally tripping a Roadrunner player off of the next face-off. On the resulting 4 on 3 the Roadrunners kept their man advantage hot by finishing off a loose rebound in front to got back ahead by a goal. 3-2 Roadrunners.

The Gulls were able to get a power play of their own moments later but could not convert and a minute after that it would seem that the officials refused to let this one get any rhythm to it as they sent both Benoit and Merkley to the box for roughing.

After the penalties expired the Gulls were able to get momentum rolling and came close on another net front scramble but the Roadrunners were eventually able to cover the puck – either illegally via a player or legally via Hill, Gulls players and coaching staff believed it to be the former but again there was no penalty or penalty shot awarded.

Thankfully Sam Carrick injected some justice into the game when he busted down the right wing and fired a hard wrist shot by Aidin Hill with less than 20 seconds left in the period to tie things up at 3 and teams headed to the second intermission 3-3 with shots 26-21 to San Diego.

The third period didn’t really feature much action as decidedly less penalties were given and San Diego was finally able to get into a rhythm. Controlling play for most of the period and keeping any Tuscon chances to the perimeter. The Roadrunners did have one solid opportunity as Conor Garland found himself alone in the slot but Kevin Boyle made the huge glove save to keep things even.

In overtime the Gulls could not get a decent chance on Hill but again held the majority of possession. With less than twenty seconds left Conor Garland carried into the Gulls zone and sped in on Boyle where his near side shot snuck through Boyle to give the Roadrunners the win. Again Coach Eakins and his staff were unhappy with the Officials as the Timekeeper failed to start the clock until 5 seconds into the action. So technically the goal should not have counted but they gave it regardless. All around terrible officiating in Tuscon but thankfully San Jose had already beaten Colorado earlier to assure the Gulls had clinched a playoff spot.

The overtime loss gave San Diego 78 points and allowed Tuscon to leapfrog Colorado to move into the final playoff spot. The Gulls must now win tomorrow to stay in third place and face the Barracuda in the first round. If they lose and fall to fourth they will face the Condors.