2020-2021 Game 7: San Diego Gulls @ Bakersfield Condors

The Gulls first road game of the season and yet more line-up changes as Brendan Guhle was assigned to the squad on a conditioning loan. Strangely the other player who was assigned on a conditioning loan – Sonny Milano – was no where to be seen in the line-up. Chase De Leo and Josh Mahura were called up to the taxi squad and Andy Welinski also sat to make room for the changes. Kodie Curran was also assigned, while Keegan Kanzig was added to deter any further unsavory play toward the Gulls star players. Lines were as follows:

Lettieri – Agozzino – Poturalski

Lorito – S Carrick – Zegras

Dostie – Groulx – Kindopp

Kanzig – Morand – Perreault

Lowe – Drysdale

T Carrick – Curran

Benoit – Guhle

Dostal

Glass

San Diego started the game spending the first minute and a half in the Condors zone. Back to back shifts with sustained pressure from both the Lettieri and Zegras lines didn’t amount to an opening goal but did look good dominating the Bakersfield zone.

The Condors managed to escape the occupation of their zone and went right back to their tight man-to-man and overtly aggressive forecheck. Once again taking the early lead as Luke Esposito came down the right side and fired a seemingly average wrist shot that Dostal appeared to completely flub on. 1-0 Condors and another goal I think Dostal is going to want to have back.

Riding the sudden momentum generated from the goal the Condors continued to exert an aggressive forecheck and added to their tally four minutes later on a broken play when a shot on Dostal was deflected by a Gulls player and bounced fortuitously to Joe Gamardella who was then able to beat Dostal with backhand move as he cruised past the Gulls net. 2-0 Condors.

Things got worse for the Gulls as Andrew Agozzino was called for high sticking. With the Condors sharing the leagues worst Power Play with Manitoba and Lehigh Valley it felt inevitable that they would break that curse and break it they did. Tyler Benson finishing off a goal mouth scramble as the Gulls were found guilty of not tying up sticks in front of Dostal. 3-0 Condors.

The period ended with the Condors on yet another Power Play as Groulx was called for hooking. Bakersfield heading to their home dressing room with the early 3-0 lead and ahead in shots 15-8. The shot map indicating Dostal not getting much help if any. The only highlights of the period for the Gulls being some great fore-checking work from Vinni Lettieri and an individual rush from Trevor Zegras.

The Gulls were able to kill the Groulx minor with relative ease to start the second and were slowly able to re-exert some semblance of their usual game. The Zegras line generating several chances in the Bakersfield zone – including the aforementioned rookie passing up a chance to shoot from the high slot to slide the puck down low to his Captain at the side of the net.

San Diego continued to control play for much of the rest of the period but could not seem to break through until the Sam Carrick found himself alone on a breakaway. I didn’t exactly see how he ended up on a breakaway because my AHL TV feed decided to “Time Travel” at just that moment but one half of the Maple Syrup Mob calmly shelved the puck over Stuart Skinner to get the Gulls on the board.

San Diego earned their first Power Play opportunity of the game moments later as Ryan Stanton was called for holding when he reached in and prevented Antoine Morand from driving in on the Condors net.

Although the man advantage showed some great movement and were able to get the puck through the Condors box more than once – they could not get the bounce they needed to bring the score back within one.

The middle frame ended with San Diego enjoying most of possession but the Condors still comfortably in front. 3-1 Condors and shots 20-17 for the hosts. The shot map showing how much they owned the second period.

I’m not really going to bother getting into detail for the third period but the Gulls fell behind once again as they were caught sleeping in their zone and the Condors were able to deflect a point shot by Dostal to make it 4-1.

San Diego responded with immediate desperation but forgot to cover for the roaming defender as a blocked shot bounced to the Condors who then in turn sent former Gull Adam Cracknell on a breakaway. 5-1 Condors.

Lukas Dotal was chased in favor of Jeff Glass and things settled down somewhat again except the Gulls continued to struggle to generate any high danger opportunities on Skinner.

Alex Dostie provided a brief ray of hope as he made things happen all by himself in the Condors zone but his backhand chance sailed high and wide over the Condors net. Keegan Kanzig was then called for holding on the Bakersfield counter rush into the San Diego zone and the Gulls went back to the penalty kill.

San Diego killed the minor but play stayed mostly uninspiring for the remainder of the game. Even when the Gulls enjoyed a brief five on three Power Play. It was very clear they had already checked out and were mentally heading for the bus back home to face Colorado tomorrow.

San Diego dropping their first of the season in the most unspectacular fashion.

Post Game Notes:

Wake Up Gulls

Will San Diego ever get the first goal in a game this season? They were actually looking likely in this one with back to back dominant shifts from the two top lines in the first two minutes of action but a lapse in concentration from Dostal kept the curse going. For now…

Bright Points

It’s hard to take any positives from this game other than a few individual efforts. Zegras as always looked great though I really wish he would shoot more. It’s games like tonight where his lack of experience might have shown that with his team down and clearly not feeling it – just shoot it on net. Good things will happen. Alex Dostie looked great – I think of all the forwards he had the best night. Vinnie Lettieri and Andrew Agozzino looked good in the first period but then faded to the back as the game went on. Jacob Perreault also played a very good game and was rewarded for his pass to spring Carrick on the breakaway by being elevated to play on the line with he and Zegras. Jamie Drysdale again looked steady though was victimized on the scoresheet as he was on the ice for the first two Condors goals.

The Bad

Where to start? The team as a whole looked like they had their water spiked with Ambien but given the expectations for Brendan Guhle entering the final year of his two year extension I wasnt that impressed with the fact that he didnt really stand out – at all. He did not attempt to rush the puck at all nor did we see his speed – the best part of his game.