2020-2021 Game 6: San Diego Gulls vs Bakersfield Condors

Riding an opening season five game win streak Coach Kevin Dineen was afforded more players with which to tinker his line-up as Sonny Milano was sent down on a conditioning loan after returning from injury and Andy Welinski was also assigned for some much needed game-time. To make room for the two additions whilst also giving other idle players such as Bryce Kindopp and Matt Lorito some action Chase De Leo, Alex Dostie and Jack Badini were given the night off for the forwards and Hunter Drew sat for the defensive core. Lines were as follows:

Zegras – S Carrick – Poturalski

Milano – Agozzino – Lettieri

Tracey – Groulx – Kindopp

Lorito – Morand – Perreault

Lowe – Drysdale

T Carrick – Mahura

Benoit – Welinski

Dostal

Glass

Although San Diego had the first few shots on net – courtesy of Trevor Zegras and the top line. It was the Condors that set the tone early, establishing a ferocious forecheck in the San Diego zone. The Gulls were able to break free from the pressure in brief spurts – such as a breakaway opportunity for Sonny Milano but the Condors would quickly snuff out any opportunity for a creative skill play and set right back to forcing turnovers. Their strategy hit pay-dirt as Trevor Carrick sent an errant pass that was picked off by Brad Malone, the veteran forward coming in alone on Dostal on a partial break and firing a shot low blocker side that beat the Gulls rookie net-minder clean. 1-0 Condors.

Less than thirty seconds later it was 2-0 as the Condors went right back into the San Diego zone and setup shop. Dostal this time beat by a rebound generated from a point shot that got through an absolute maze of bodies in front. San Diego guilty of not being tight enough on sticks on the play.

Jacob Perreault gave the Gulls life by drawing a call (the new Morand?) and the Gulls went to work with the man advantage. Despite a couple of odd-man rushes the Gulls could not generate much else on the Power Play – the only highlights being a Trevor Zegras point shot as he kept the point and a Sonny Milano individual effort cutting through the Condors defense.

Bakersfield attempted to re-exert the pressure but the Agozzino, Lettieri, Milano line tilted the tables with some great offensive opportunities, quickly followed up by the Zegras line. The rest of the Gulls lines followed suit and they controlled play for the next five or so minutes, eventually breaking through on a point shot from Josh Mahura that was tipped by BO Groulx on the way past Skinner. 2-1 Condors. Bryce Kindopp chased down a dump-in and fed it back to Mahura on the play. Groulx’s first professional goal and Kindopps first AHL point.

Giving the Condors some of their own medicine the Gulls didn’t waste any time in potting another tally to even things back up. The Morand line getting close on one opportunity and then breaking through off the very next face-off, Jacob Perreault set up perfectly at the left hash-mark by Morand and firing the kind of shot he was drafted for over Stuart Skinner’s shoulder to make it 2-2.

Bakersfield managed to re-establish a stifling forecheck and were able to setup in the Gulls zone for a few offensive shifts but San Diego countered with some good chances on Skinner from Poturalski and Perreault. San Diego drawing a call in the Condors zone soon after the Poturalski chance.

The Gulls Power Play did a good job of keeping possession in the Condors zone for the first minute of the penalty but couldn’t break the deadlock as the seconds ticked off the first frame. Teams heading to the first intermission tied up at two with the Gulls ahead in shots 17-9. San Diego clearly having the better chances on the period with Dostal having a rare regression in his game through the first twenty minutes.

Jamie Drysdale started the second period by showing one of the many tools in his vast skill-set as he fired a quick headman pass to the Captain to generate an odd man rush within the first twenty seconds.

Bakersfield killed the remainder of the Niemelainen penalty and set to work peppering Lukas Dostal with shots from the perimeter with varying degrees of traffic in front. The young Czech was by this point settled into his groove and turned aside all opportunities with ease, allowing the Gulls to carry momentum back down the other end and capitalise on a outnumbered opportunity as Trevor Carrick snuck down into the slot and received a pass from his brother. His measured shot squeaking by Skinner through the five hole to make it 3-2 Gulls.

Bakersfield responded with a push and it took an amazing – what I would call a “break-dance save” from Dostal to keep the puck out as he missed his initial poke-check in the crease and then swung a leg out of nowhere to stop a close in chance. Sadly the Condors caught the Gulls sleeping on the very next zone entry as Cooper Marody was left alone to knife across from the neutral zone into the Gulls zone unharassed and fire a shot that beat Dostal clean blocker-side high. 3-3 tie game once again.

Both teams exchanged chances for the next five minutes as the chippiness started to pick up – culminating in an extremely dirty intentional knee by the Condors Vincent Desharnais as he clipped Trevor Zegras coming through the neutral zone. Sam Carrick immediately dropped the gloves with the second year defender and held his own in a fight where he gave up a huge deficit in size. Deshairnas somehow did not get a minor or even a warranted double minor for the extremely dangerous play.

The physical play picked up as emotions ran high after the hit and you felt a ticking time bomb for when Desharnais exited the penalty box after his fighting major was served. The Officials – for their part – kept a consistent demeanor of letting everything go, including a clear interference call on Bryce Kindopp at the nearside boards as he was prevented form chasing a dump in.

The Condors appeared to target Carrick as he came back after serving his fighting major – perhaps because he had some choice words for their bench but the Gulls on the other hand continued to battle and the Officials continued to miss calls. Antoine Morand high-sticked in the neutral zone, losing his glove in the process with no whistle.

Then because that is how it felt like things were going, Welinski was called for slashing as he prevented a scoring chance from the Condors coming through the San Diego zone.

Bakersfield showed some good movement with the man advantage but only really generated the one good chance on Dostal, Trevor Carrick got in front of it and the Gulls rookie net-minder was able to deflect it high to safety as San Diego killed the remainder of the penalty by keeping the Condors strictly to the perimeter. Jamie Drysdale made one very nice play as he read and slid down to prevent a cross-crease backhand pass during one sequence.

Time wound down with the Gulls enjoying sustained pressure in the Condors zone and teams headed to the second intermission tied once again and shots still in favor for the Gulls 29-23.

The Gulls made a very quick start to the third thanks to the Milano line as they made swift work of winning the opening face-off and securing possession in the Bakersfield zone. A Jamie Drysdale shot from the slot on the rush caused Skinner some difficulty and the rebound came to Vinni Lettieri to the left side of the net – eventually getting it over the sprawling Condors net-minder Stuart Skinner to make it 4-3 Gulls just 26 seconds into the third period.

The physical and chippy play picked back up as the Condors appeared to want to take a page out of the Eagles playbook and muscle up on the Gulls at any and all opportunities.

Bakersfield held possession for much of the period with the Gulls attempting the odd foray into the Condors zone but eventually the extended time defending resulted in Andy Welinski being forced to take a holding penalty.

The Gulls killed the penalty thanks to some strong positional play, gap control at the blue-line and quietly big saves from Dostal.

Just as it seemed San Diego had all the momentum toward closing out the victory, Sam Carrick was called for a mystery penalty in the Condors zone. It appeared that he was called for a tripping infraction while attempting to get to a loose puck but by the same token – the Bakersfield player made no attempt to get to the puck in the process, so that could have been interference. Minor nuances aside, the Gulls came up big for the Captain, killing the minor in the final forty seconds of the game and sealing the win.

Post Game Notes:

Drysdale So Dreamy

I keep banging on about him but he really has been that impressive. He does not look 18. It would be criminal for him to be playing in Juniors this season. If things go back to normal next season I can see the Ducks giving him a stint to start the year depending on how their defensive pairings look after the offseason.

Look Out

I hate to dwell on the negative but that Desharnais hit is one of the main reasons why the Ducks are probably keeping Zegras in the AHL this season. Teams are taking notice (one could say they should have a lot earlier given his pedigree) and he is being targeted. If he were in the NHL it would likely be ten times worse – the hits would be harder and faster. It did irk me that the one game the Gulls did not have designated enforcer in their line-up some goon from the other team takes a run at their star player with minor repercussions (all due respect Sammy, you did an amazing job but Kanzig or Devane needs to be doing that).

Rematch

The Gulls play Bakersfield again on Friday in Bakersfield. Expect to see one of Kanzig or Devane in the lineup to deal to Desharnais and his shenanigans. Hopefully the Gulls are blessed with better Officials for this encounter too.

Rookies Going Strong

Back to the positive. It was so good to see BO Groulx and Jacob Perreault notch their first professional goals. Both have been highly deserving of them and I can see Perreault going on a nice little tear now, he had another opportunity tonight from the slot – look out for him being a regular fixture there moving forward. Also it wasn’t a bad debut for Bryce Kindopp either, I thought he looked a little out of his depth at times but also very in-tune with the play in other instances. Passing back to the point on the Groulx goal was a smart, simple, heads-up play that coaches love.