Game 55: San Diego Gulls @ San Jose Barracuda

After blowing a two goal lead and losing in overtime the night before, San Diego looked to pick themselves up and earn a critical two points to take three out of a possible four points out of Northern California.

With Brendan Guhle recently returned the Gulls – Coach Dineen inserted him right into the line-up with Chris Wideman strangely absent from the lineup.

• Kid doing a Fortnite dance during a break
• AHLTV scoreboard covering the screen during play
• #BENOITSMASH
• #DREWSMASH
• Snipe City Drew
• Brendan Guhle takes a bad penalty
• Trevor Carrick takes a penalty at the worst time possible
• Maple Syrup Bros
• Captain Sam Scores!
• Limoges Lets it GOOOOO!
• #PUREPERREAULT
• Spot Jeff Bush and the hat
• Dubious call goes against the Gulls
• Jacob Perreault draws a penalty
• Tropp The Mic – Style Goal
• Zilch hot mic interlude – fastfood chat or beatboxing

Max Comtois drew a penalty early as he was cross-checked down low in the San Jose zone but it was the Barracuda that gave the Gulls a taste of their own medicine as they created an odd-man break shorthanded and scored the games opening goal. Jeffrey Viel bodied the puck across Kevin Boyles crease, getting his stick caught in the New Jersey natives pads and taking him with him, Evan Weinger then followed up the play and picked up the left overs to put it in the empty net. 1-0 Barracuda on what should have been Goaltender Interference but wasn’t because ofcourse.

San Jose was the clear better of the two teams for the remainder of the period and also had an obvious game plan of playing overtly physical on the Gulls smaller skill forwards as Troy Terry was given unmitigated abuse by Nicolas Meloche for every shift he was on the ice – the majority of which were clear calls that were not made by the Officials.

The Barracuda were given a Power Play with just over three minutes left in the opening period as Poturalski was called for holding and the home team wasted no time in winning the face-off in the San Diego zone, dishing the puck around the zone before finding an opening and an open Jonny Brodzinski. 2-0 San Jose.

Max Comtois was given a slashing call with just under two minutes remaining as the chippiness ramped up, the Gulls penalty kill made short work of the San Jose man-advantage and drew a call of their own with three seconds left in the period when Kyle Criscuolo was deemed to be held by Halbgewachs . As time expired Meloche continued his one-man campaign of misery for Troy Terry as he continued to deliver cross-checks away from the play and Terry finally had had enough. A small scuffle broke out as the first intermission whistle sounded with the Gulls getting a Power Play to start the second period.

Shots were even at 11 to finish the first twenty minutes but the shot map showing the Barracuda had the better of chances for the period.

Neither team converted on the confusing array of penalties that spilled over from the fracas at the end of the opening period but the Gulls would go down a man yet again when Kloos was called for tripping in front of the San Jose net.

San Diego killed the minor and were given a Power Play of their own when Wiederer was caught on a retaliation rough after Mahura had gotten away with a cross-check to his ribs.

Much like the San Jose man advantage the Gulls wasted no time in winning the face-off , setting the screen and allowing Josh Mahura time to wind up a shot through traffic. Chris Mueller getting a perfect tip to deflect the puck by Korenar. 2-1 Barracuda.

San Jose attempted a response on the immediate shift there-after but Kevin Boyle calmly turned aside both chances in tight and the Gulls swiftly shifted momentum back in their own favour.

Things got chippy again as Simon Benoit finished a check that Weinger took exception to but no further calls came from the post-whistle jostle this time.

The Gulls continued their forward momentum and controlled play for the remainder of the period – leaving Kevin Boyle to be called upon to make one game-saving stop in the final two minutes of the period as a rare Barracuda out-numbered attack down low forced the Gulls veteran net-minder to make the stop with the outstretched left pad.

San Jose took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission ahead by one in shots also 9-8 on the period. The shot map not entirely giving an accurate indicator of which team controlled play for the period.

Just over five minutes into the third period the Gulls were sent back to the penalty kill as Scott Moldenhauer was called for boarding.

Not simply looking for just the kill the Gulls repaid the Barracudas game opening goal in-kind with a shorthanded tally of their own when Captain Sam Carrick lead an odd-man break, faked out his defender to toe-drag around both he and Korenar and get a tight angle chance in to tie things up. 2-2.

The Barracuda attempted to regain the lead with their remaining time on the man-advantage but again Kevin Boyle stood tall to deny any and all chances.

Things got testy again as Alex Broadhurst finished a chance on the Barracuda and was immediately leveled for his efforts by – guess who – Meloche. Keegan Kanzig sought retribution but got the wrong man as he turned Joakim Blichfeld into a suitcase. After the ensuing post-whistle scuffles teams skated at four on four for the next two minutes.

Brendan Guhle came inches from getting the go-ahead goal with seven and a half minutes left as he snuck down low on the left side to pounce on a rebound but his shot went just wide.

San Diego got two more golden opportunities from Joel Persson and Antoine Morand but had to settle for the extra session to determine their fate.

The Gulls controlled possession from the opening face-off of the three-on-three and had the first opportunity as Troy Terry lost his defender and cruised into the slot but his shot was partially blocked and Korenar was able to make the save. A Kevin Boyle save on the Barracuda led to a two on zero rush for Sam Carrick and Troy Terry – Carrick took the shot and it appeared the San Jose net-minder had managed to keep the puck out but it took a lengthy review by the Officials to finally confirm that.

Kevin Boyle was called upon to make one big stop on Radil and it came down to the final twenty seconds of the overtime session for Isac Lundestrom and Josh Mahura to combine for the game winning goal using their speed and skill to create one too many chances for Korenar to turn aside. 3-2 Gulls win as Mahura fired a cross-crease pass that Lundestrom one-timed into the San Jose net.