Game 44: San Diego Gulls vs Bakersfield Condors

After getting the win in an action-packed affair at home the Gulls then had to face-down a Bakersfield squad still licking their wounds after getting demolished by Ontario 9-3 on Friday night. The Gulls would endure further adversity by missing their Captain, Sam Carrick – out with the Flu and energy forward Antoine Morand, also missing. With the recall of both Josh Mahura and Brendan Guhle by the Ducks in response to an injury to Erik Gudbranson it would also mean that Ryan Johnston and Hunter Drew saw action for the first time in a short while.

Play was slow and marred with minor errors at first, the Gulls best chance in the early going coming thanks to Corey Tropp gaining the Condors zone with speed, pulling up and hitting Jani Hakanpaa as the trailer. The big Finnish defender fanning on the shot. Anthony Stolarz followed that up with sixth-sense save as he dived back across his net to nab a sure Condors goal.

The first penalties of the game were awarded to both Simon Benoit and Anthony Peluso for holding and teams skated at four on four almost seven minutes into the action.

Isac Lundestrom took advantage of the extra space awarded and lead a three on two rush up ice, pulling up and hitting Jani Hakanpaa in space with a perfect cross-ice pass but Skinner was equal to the one-timer from the veteran defender.

At the tail-end of the four on four Daniel Sprong jumped on a fumbled Condors pass and attempted a between-the-legs move but Skinner prevented the potential highlight reel goal.

The Gulls struck first with under five minutes in the open period when Chase De Leo hustled to a loose puck at the blue line, pivoted and swung it on net. The shot appeared to take Skinner by surprise as he popped a rebound right out to Chris Mueller at the side of the net, the face-off expert easily popping it by him 1-0 Gulls.

San Diego controlled play for much of the remainder of the period, taking a 1-0 lead to the first intermission and leading in shots 12-8. The shot map showing the Condors with just the three high-danger chances – which I believe were all in the same sequence with Stolarz coming up big.

The first five minutes of the second period were stop-start with the same sluggish play and array of minor mistakes prevalent in parts of the first period but the Gulls would soon pick it up and earn a Power Play as Jani Hakanpaa was cross-checked from behind in the San Diego zone.

The Gulls Power Play looked very good, gaining the zone, zipping passes around and setting up plays. Blake Pietela hitting the post at one point and Corey Tropp stopped point black as he was setup by Max Comtois in front.

Despite not capitalizing with the man-advantage the Gulls broke through on the very next shift by scoring one of the pretty goals of the season so far. Justin Kloos winning a board battle to free the puck and feeding Jack Kopacka in the slot. From there the former Sault Ste. Marie Greyhound puck-handled around a Condors defender and moved in on Skinner before surprising everyone by spinning a majestic pass down low to Alex Broadhurst who only had to tuck it by Skinner to make it 2-0.

It took just over three minutes later for San Diego to bring the crowd alight again as Daniel Sprong caught Stuart Skinner playing a Blake Pietela shot too aggressively – the shot ricocheting wide off the boards and coming to him on right side to easily slide into the open net. 3-0 Gulls.

On the very next shift Jack Kopacka added to his already impressive night with the kind of goal that we have seen flashes of him having in him before. Breaking up a pass and busting down the left-wing with speed before snapping a lightning-quick shot just under the cross-bar. 4-0 Gulls.

The Condors were able to stem the flow and drew a call on Chris Wideman for hooking with just over five minutes left in the period. The Gulls were a little out of sorts on the first penalty killing unit – resulting in Bakersfield getting on the board just sixteen seconds into the Power Play as a shot fired from the point against the grain got by Stolarz through traffic. 4-1 Gulls.

San Diegos momentum was completely stopped when Corey Tropp was given a delay of game penalty a minute later to send the Gulls right back to the penalty kill. The Condors Power Play threatened again but this time were unable to get one by Stolarz and in one instance – the post.

The Gulls headed to the second intermission with a 4-1 lead and leading in shots 22-20. The shot-map continuing the trend of the first period with the additional break-through of scoring for San Diego.

San Diego almost came out with a fifth goal to start the third as Isac Lundestrom tracked down and stole the puck low in the Condors zone before quickly feeding it to Max Comtois in front of the net.

Comtois then gave an additional needless rough behind the Condors net and was dinged on the play to put the Gulls down a man early.

San Diego were able to kill the minor but not before seeing some minor damage done to both Anthony Stolarz and Simon Benoit. The later having to crawl to the bench after being felled by a shot in the left leg. Stolarz flexing off a hard shot that appeared to trouble his right shoulder.

The Gulls pushed back and generated more chances through both the Pietela line and through a combination of Sprong and Kopacka.

With Benoit back on the ice after a TV time-out the Condors were given another Power Play when the Laval native was forced to hook the Condors Peluso to prevent him getting to a loose puck in the crease.

San Diego killed the minor and once again went right back to the attack as Alex Broadhurst caught the Condors defense pinching, hitting Corey Tropp with a pass as he crept behind the Bakersfield defense but the veteran forward was denied by a sparkling glove save from Skinner.

Anthony Stolarz made possibly a case for save of the year on a play that he had absolutely no right to be in as the Condors threaded successive passes across the San Diego zone before finishing at the backdoor but the former Flyers second round pick somehow got his right pad back to stop the chance.

Never the less the Condors did get another one by Stolarz as an unlucky bounce sailed over his head on a play where Ryan McLeod had Johnston beat wide with speed. 4-2 Gulls with under five minutes left.

Bakersfield almost followed that up with another on the very next shift as they executed another pretty passing play on the rush through the San Diego zone but the trigger man hit the post on a wide open net.

With the Condors still pushing, Chase De Leo drew an important call as he chased down a puck and was blatantly picked by Evan Bouchard. The highly touted rookie defender who had shone offensively on the night but hadn’t really impressed me defensively essentially killing any chance for his team to come back in the game by taking the minor and an additional two for talking back to Officials.

San Diego played keep away for much of the Power Play and tensions boiled over as Comtois and Malone battled for a puck at center ice, the Ducks 2017 second round pick showing more of his feisty side that has been prevalent of late as he and Malone continued to bark at each-other even when Officials got between them.

Anthony Stolarz made an attempt at an empty Condors net in the final minute of action but was mercilessly stopped by a Bakersfield defender jumping and blocking it with his stick.

San Diego coming away with the 4-2 win, their third straight.