2020-2021 Game 11: San Diego Gulls @ Henderson Silver Knights

Bryce Kindopp handles the puck. Credit San Diego Gulls.

In quite possibly the weirdest line-up he has iced, Coach Dineen swapped out Alex Dostie and Jacob Perreault for Jeremy Roy and Jamie Devane. Matt Lorito remained out and Nik Brouillard remained in – not only that, he was promoted to the vet line. Bryce Kindopp was rewarded for his strong play by being elevated to the top line. While Roy slotted in with Groulx and Tracey. Jeff Glass got his first start with Olle Eriksson-Ek backing up.

It was a bold strategy employed by Dineen and I was curious to see if it would work. It appeared to start relatively well as compared to the previous game, the Gulls did not spend the first five minutes hemmed in their zone. They did however see some time on the penalty kill as Nik Brouillard was called for holding. San Diego were able to kill the minor but the penalty box parade continued as Jamie Devane was called for roughing and then interference when he touched the puck before completely existing the penalty box.

It took until the eight minute mark before San Diego registered their first shot on Dansk (shorthanded at that) and you had to wonder whether playing so many defencemen as forwards was a great idea.

Golden Knights third round pick Pavel Dorofeyev opened the scoring as he found some space and speed coming into the Gulls zone. Knifing through the static Gulls defense and sending a nice backhand over Glass to make it 1-0 Daft Punk Tribute Band.

Just as it seemed this game was going to be an easy win for Henderson a quick sequence of events suddenly turned the tide.

At the same time that Simon Benoit was felled by a point shot the Silver Knights were called for two infractions on the same play – one for goaltender interference and another for interference as Morand was prevented from getting to a loose puck.

San Diego set up on the five on three and moved the puck around the diamond before a bouncing shot made it through to the front of the net and was finished off by Andrew Agozzino at the back door. 1-1 tie game on just the Gulls fifth shot.

Time expired before they could proceed with the remaining time on the penalty and teams headed to first intermission knotted at one but with the Silver Knights enjoying a 10-5 shot advantage.

San Diego started the second with the remaining time on the Power Play but could not find the same magic to end the final minutes of the first period. Jeff Glass and Brayden Tracey made things interesting when Tracey almost inadvertently put the puck in his own net but that short bit of heart trauma thankfully subsided. Then the Gulls found themselves in the familiar position of being on the penalty kill as Andrew Agozzino was called for holding.

After killing the minor the Gulls were able to create some sustained pressure in the Henderson zone and generated chances on Dansk. With Chase De Leo, Andrew Poturalski and Hunter Drew coming close.

They would eventually be rewarded with their first go-ahead goal of the series thus far as Captain Sam Carrick puck handled is way through the Henderson defense on the left side to create some space and turn the play into a two on one as Bryce Kindopp followed alongside him. The Captain sending a perfect feed to Kindopp at the backdoor and the rookie potting his second of the season to make it 2-1 Gulls.

San Diego followed up the goal with some more pressure from the Poturalski line but Henderson would strike back via another nice play from Pavel Dorofeyev – the rookie in just his second AHL game deeking Jeff Glass out of his net and then sending pass over to Dylan Sikura who easily potted it in to make it 2-2.

Further penalties followed for the remainder of the period including a brief Power Play for the Gulls in the final few seconds as teams headed to intermission tied up once again. Henderson again ahead in shots 28-18.

Once again the Gulls carry over Power Play time didn’t amount to anything and the hosts went right back to the attack – pinning San Diego in their zone and taking the lead through a pass to the slot to Jack McLaughlin. 3-2 Henderson.

Antoine Morand drew another penalty (Drink) as he came into the Henderson zone with speed and was slashed – sending the Gulls back to the Power Play. Henderson were able to kill the minor but San Diego carried momentum forward and came close a few minutes later after Jamie Drysdale fired a shot that Dansk had trouble controlling and a mass of bodies piled up in front of Dansk with a loose puck somewhere underneath it.

San Diego were awarded another Power Play but again could not really generate any great chances as they appeared very static with little to no movement. They very clearly miss Trevor Zegras.

Jeff Glass was pulled in favour of the extra attacker with under a minute to go but Henderson were able to maintain possession to close out the game. San Diego heading home 0-3 on the Vegas visit and 0-4 on the road thus far this season.

Post Game Notes:

Defense is the new Offense

It was a bold strategy employed by Coach Dineen. I guess his thinking was to over power or out muscle the Silver Knights with bigger meaner defenensemen posing as forwards. It sort of worked? The Gulls might have played their best of the three games but it was also disjointed, boring hockey without any flow. I hope he doesn’t go back to this strategy against Ontario this week.

Movement up top

It sounds as though Hampus Lindholm is returning from injury and Adam Henrique has been returned to the Ducks line-up (likely pending a trade) so that means the Gulls should get at least two players back. All money on those two being Josh Mahura and Vinni Lettieri – even though Mahura absolutely deserves to say in Anaheim. The Gulls are actually more than fine on defense right now but will gladly welcome Lettieri back.

Keeping up with Kindopp

Bryce Kindopp now has two goals in his last three games and has three points in six games total. He has earned his stripes in Trevor Zegras’s spot on the Carrick/De Leo line and it is very nice to see him finding his game. He was signed as a scorer and that appears to be something he is very good at.