Game 18: San Diego Gulls vs Tuscon Roadrunners

In their final game of the month of November the Gulls faced a tough challenge as they took on the division leading Roadrunners. With news earlier in the day that defensemen Jacob Larsson had been assigned to San Diego it meant Scott Moldenhauer drew out while Luke Gazdic and Corey Tropp swapped out in the forwards.

San Diego came out flying, pressuring every puck and attacking the zone with speed. They were awarded a Power Play as Josh Mahura was cross-checked coming out of the Gulls zone but once again, the man-advantage looked largely nonthreatening, failing to get set or a shot on goal during the two minute span.

As the penalty expired a routine attack and forecheck into the Tucson zone ended with a lucky bounce as the puck rolled off a Tucson players stick and straight to Blake Pietela positioned perfectly in the slot to fire a hard wrister by Hill for the games opening score. 1-0 Gulls.

Tuscon responded with increased fore-checking pressure and a few minutes later – tied things up after the Gulls could not clear their zone and a deflected point-shot got by Stolarz to make it 1-1.

The Gulls fought back and kept Tuscon hemmed in their own zone for a couple of shifts – once by the Lundestrom line and the other by the Carrick line but each time the final execution was not there for San Diego and play would be broken up to be sent the other way.

With two and a half minutes left in the period a good zone entry from the Carrick line suddenly becaome a disjointed and broken play and another lucky bounce found its way to Carrick and he fired it by Hill to make it 2-1 Gulls.

Seizing momentum, Daniel Sprong received a perfect pass from Simon Benoit who had just made a great zone entry then circled down low in the Tuscon zone. After reciving the pass, Sprong executed a spin maneuver of his own – took a quick look and fired a quick wrist shot over the shoulder of Hill to make it 3-1 with just over a minute left in the period.

The period ended with the Gulls up 3-1 and shots 10-8 in for the visitors.

San Diego started the second period on the penalty kill as Benoit was called for tripping soon after the Sprong goal. Tuscon had a few chances but ultimately nothing too dangerous overall and the Roadrunners came away empty handed.

Tuscon kept the pressure on and in an attempt to wake his team back up, Corey Tropp engaged Jeremy Gregoire in a fight that the Gulls veteran got the decision on courtesy of some late uppercuts.

A minute after the fight some nice cycling by Comtois and Dostie ended with Comtois getting a nice pass out front to a still-moving Dostie who made no mistake in burying it by Hill to make it 4-1. His third goal in three games.

With the deficit now at three goals the visitors started throwing everything at the Gulls and for the next five minutes Anthony Stolarz was under siege.

But as things go in this game, San Diego soon swung momentum back the other way and back to back odd man rushes for the Gulls had the Roadrunners on their heels. Alex Broadhurst fumbling a cross ice pass and unable to get a shot off with the net open on the near-side.

With 8:16 remaining the Roadrunners got away with a pick in the San Diego zone but did not get away with an infraction against Hunter Drew down low and the Gulls went back to the Power Play. The start of the Gulls man-advantage was disjointed and Tuscon took advantage resulting in a slashing call against San Diego to prevent a shorthanded opportunity.

Isac Lundestrom and Jacob Larsson worked some Swedish magic on the four on four as the speedy center cruised through the neutral zone and drew the defence before sending a diagonal pass to the waiting Larsson. The 2015 first round pick sending a deadly one timer at the Turscon net but Aidin Hill snagged it with the glove.

Just as the four on four expired and the Roadrunners begun their abbreviated Power Play the Gulls fumbled the puck in their zone and Tuscon struck to make it 4-2.

San Diego came back with another push, stretching the ice and attempting to catch the Roadrunners defense jumping up on the play while dictating pace and winning every puck battle they could get close to. Once again the Roadrunners were assessed a penalty under the relentless attack and the Gulls finished the middle frame up 4-2 and with time remaining on the man advantage to start the third. Shots were an even 13-13 for the period with the visitors still holding the edge overall 23-21.

Tuscon killed the remainder of the penalty to start the final period and sent the Gulls to the penalty kill when Chris Wideman was called for a delay of game. The Roadrunners had some very dangerous looks with the man advantage but San Diego were able to come away unscathed.

Moments later Max Comtois made a nice lead pass to Carrick as he cut into the Tuscon zone. The Gulls captain then made a nice move to sneak inside the right defender and then seemed to slow time as he moved into the center where he slid a perfect backhand shot through the five-hole of Hill to make it 5-2 for his second of the night.

Tuscon tried to respond but San Diego had settled into a steady rhythm of getting pucks deep into the Tuscon zone and forcing the visitors to slog it out to have any hope of a come back.

With just over five minutes remaining Daniel Sprong jumped on a loose puck and accelerated away from his would be defenders to get a chance on Hill. His shot missed hard and wide but the bounce off the end boards went straight to De Leo. 6-2 Gulls.

Game play returned to relentless puck pressure from the Gulls as San Diego continued to force Tuscon to play from their own goal-line. As time wound down they came away 6-2 victors on the back of a huge defensive third period in which they surrendered zero shots on goal.

Post Game Notes:

Feel The Force: I mentioned it multiple times in the recap but the Gulls got the win and were the better team in the end because they were absolutely relentless on the forecheck. They gave Tuscon no space whatsoever to create a play and when the visitors did manage to score – one was a unlucky bounce and the other was a deflected point shot through traffic. Hardly the flashy, speed and skill plays we are used to seeing from the Roadrunners. Do the Gulls under Coach Dineen finally have an answer for Tuscon?

Lookout Larsson: In his first game back Jacob Larsson picked up right where he left off at the end of last years Calder Cup playoffs. Ducks fans may feel he has struggled in the NHL this year but I feel he is too good for the AHL also. This will likely be a short confidence building assignment but I do wonder if somebody gets a call up in response. Simon Benoit did get a call up before the Lindholm injury only to be sent back down. I wonder if; now that Lindholm is back – we seem getting called up again to be tried out in the Josh Manson spot.

Getting Hot: Carricks two goals put back in the team scoring lead while Sprong’s two point night tied him with Kiefer Sherwood for third in team scoring, he now has 13 points in 18 games. Dostie is climbing also – he now has 9 points in 16 games including a three game goal streak.