2020-2021 Game 20: San Diego Gulls @ Tuscon Roadrunners

Searching for a win to break their losing skid Coach Dineen changed things up slightly across both the forwards and defense. Max Golod returned to the line-up and was inserted right onto the top line alongside Sam Carrick and Andrew Poturalski while BO Groulx was rewarded for his strong play by centering the second line with De Leo and Kindopp on his wings. On defense Guhle and Mahura were paired together while Olle Eriksson Ek got his third start of the season.

San Diego had a much better start to the opening period than their previous night but saw their first sign of adversity of as Captain Sam Carrick went down at center ice when an errant puck appeared to hit him in the face with force. He immediately went to the locker room and Antoine Morand replaced him on the top line.

Trevor Carrick took the games first penalty for hooking a few minutes later but the Gulls did a good job playing conservative and keeping to a tight passive box that gave Tucson no options and they swiftly killed the minor in clinical style.

The Gulls had their best chance of the period on a delayed penalty call as Josh Mahura smartly took the puck back to regroup and handed it off to Andrew Poturalski as he wound up the motor to slice through the Tucson defense, eventually sending a backdoor pass to Antoine Morand but the puck bounced at the moment of truth. San Diego looked good with the man advantage – showing some good movement and firing one-timers from both side-boards but could not get one by Prosvetov.

I spent the rest of the period being distracted by the Roadrunners play by play guy continuing to mispronounce Kevin Roys name and teams headed to the first intermission scoreless with the Gulls continuing their trend of the previous night, ahead in shots 11-8.

All of the Gulls good play to start the game was erased in the first two minutes of the second period as Simon Benoit was called for tripping on an avoidable call for the third year pro. This time the San Diego penalty kill unit did not keep to their same disciplined tight box and the Roadrunners were able to find seams. Eventually opening the scoring via a Michael Bunting redirect opportunity in front of Eriksson-Ek. 1-0 Roadrunners.

Sam Carrick made a return to the ice after leaving it midway through the first and promptly took a penalty for slashing, but San Diego came to the rescue of their Captain by looking much better on on the penalty kill. As the Gulls successfully killed the minor they immediately pushed the attack – enjoying perhaps the best sustained possession against the Roadrunners that we have seen from them all season and it all started with the fourth line. Alex Dostie, Charlie Sampair and Jamie Devane ran the Roadrunners ragged in their zone by out-muscling and winning puck battles in every corner and side-board. The Gulls able to cycle through a full line change and keep up the momentum until Hunter Drew was called for Goaltender interference when he got a little too overzealous when crashing the Tuscon crease.

The Gulls appeared to forget they were down a man at the start of the kill as they attempted to continue the good work they had been doing in the Tuscon zone only to give up an odd man rush the other way, Kevin Roy and Michael Bunting scoring on a two on one to make it 2-0.

I spent the next few minutes being confused by the Tucson announcer correctly pronouncing Jeremy Roys name and before I knew it there was five minutes left in the period and the fourth line were having the opposite effect of their earlier good work as they barely withstood a Tuscon barrage of attack.

The Gulls fought back in the final few minutes and finally broke through the stingy Ivan Prosvetov with a rebound goal from Sam Carrick as both the second line and then first line buzzed the Tuscon zone in much the same fashion as the earlier sustained pressure shift that ended in the Drew penalty.

The Gulls headed to the second intermission down 2-1 but still ahead in shots 23-21.

The Gulls came out with a push in the third and tied things up with a literal push as they muscled the puck over the Tuscon goal line in a goal that the Roadrunners immediately disputed but were unsuccessful in overturning. It was hard to tell who got the tally on the live feed and they didn’t offer a replay on the Tuscon feed (thanks fellas) but the game-sheet indicated it was Carricks goal. 2-2 Gulls.

The Roadrunners responded by appearing to have regained the lead but Olle Eriksson Ek was able to reach back and smother the puck whilst out of his net in a goal mouth scramble to keep things tied.

The Gulls finally turned the tables on their dismal losing stretch when after a time-out, a face-off win in the Tucson zone came back to Josh Mahura at the right point. The Ducks third round pick winding up and walking into a slap-shot that zipped its way through traffic and the five-hole of Ivan Prosvetov to make it 3-2 Gulls. Their first lead in… I dont remember how many games.

Not only was the goal beautiful but it was also great to hear the Tuscon announcer call it in disappointing fashion, it felt like he wanted to end it with “bummer dude” but sadly did not.

The Gulls continued to press, playing a simple strategy of getting pucks on Prosvetov and engaging for rebounds while applying pressure to keep the zone when needed as time started to wind down in the period and the game.

With just over two minutes left and again off of a timeout the Gulls doubled their lead from some good cycling in the Tuscon zone, Brendan Guhle receiving a pass and making a nice move to shift away from his cover before firing a shot to the left side of the net that a passing BO Groulx deflected by Ivan Prosvetov to make it 4-2 Gulls.

Coach Dineen appeared to employ the Eakins strategy of not entrusting a smaller skill player with defending the lead as he replaced Max Golod with Charlie Sampair on the top lines next shift and the Roadrunners pulled Prosvetov for the extra attacker with just over a minute remaining.

San Diego preserved the two goal cushion and took the win to end their five game losing streak as players exchanged yet more pleasantries at the final horn.

Post Game Notes

Go Go BO!

BO Groulx had three points over the two game visit to Tuscon and now has ten points in twenty games on the season. His goal tonight moving him up to tie for fifth on the team in scoring with the currently called-up Jamie Drysdale. He is quietly having a great first pro season and looks to be developing into a good two way forward with upside.

Golod’s back, but is he?

I know I sound like a broken record but could it hurt to give us some sort of update as to why players come and go from the line-up? Golod coming back and going straight onto the top line would suggest he may have been out of action due to injury – because otherwise, why put him straight on the top line if you were not happy with his play? Then again, he did get benched late in the game. I am so confused.

Olle Olle Olle Oi Oi Oi

I am officially on the Olle train. I like this kid and want him to do well. Yes, I was one of the and possibly the loudest naysayer of late but seeing him play you can see that although his game is still quite raw in places. He does have a heck a lot of compete. He has another year left on his entry level deal after this one so still has time and given the Ducks obvious plans for Lukas Dostal, we could be seeing a lot of Olle next season.