2020-2021 Game 30: San Diego Gulls vs Ontario Reign

Looking to get some revenge for a 4-2 loss against their cross-town rival last week the Gulls were buoyed by the return of Chase De Leo to the line-up. Max Golod was sat to make room while Simon Benoit was given the night off on defense to allow Jeremy Roy to get some game time. Lukas Dostal was given the start.

The Gulls went straight to the Power Play within the first three seconds of the game as the Reign were called for a face-off violation which was served by Quentin Byfield. It took just another 34 seconds for San Diego to open the scoring with the man advantage as Trevor Zegras won the face-off in the Reign zone and the Gulls controlled possession. As they played keep-away while measuring shots and winning battles to loose pucks. A nice between the legs pass from Poturalski found BO Groulx whose point blank chance sent a rebound to Chase De Leo facing the wrong side of the net so he smartly sent it back out to an incoming Trevor Zegras. The future Duck superstar almost casually picked his spot to send the Gulls ahead 1-0.

Ontario came back with a push to put San Diego under the pump, Niklas Brouillard got caught on the wrong side of his man in the slot and was called for holding to give Ontario their first power play. The Gulls had trouble preventing the Reign from gaining the zone but were able to close gaps and block shots once the visitors had some semblance of getting set. Bryce Kindopp with perhaps the most heroic of blocks on this kill.

The Reign continued their momentum and continued to pepper shots on Dostal until they eventually broke through. A clean face-off win in the Gulls zone that allowed them to find Lias Andersson in space and the former Ranger prospect was given way too much time and space to wire a shot top corner. 1-1 tie game.

Josh Mahura was called for interference moments later and the Gulls went down a man for their second time in the period. San Diego did a relatively good job killing half of the first minor but Axel Andersson sent his team down an additional man when he tripped Durzi coming into the Gulls zone. Lukas Dostal was forced to make a huge post to post stop on the resulting face-off but San Diego survived the rest of the two man disadvantage and were spared the remaining time of five on four when Ontario made the egregious error of being called for too many men.

On the abbreviated Power Play the Gulls set to work putting together some of the best passing and movement I have seen from the man advantage yet this season – eventually finishing with a flourish as Chase De Leo executed the “Corey Tropp”, a tuck and drag move at the side of the net executed perfectly to put the Gulls up 2-1.

The Gulls continued to play with fire as they were about to go back to the penalty kill for a tripping infraction in front of the Reign net when Ontario cashed in on the advantage early by getting an easy tap-in on the delayed call. 2-2 tie game.

San Diego were awarded one more Power Play toward the end of the period as Arthur Kaliyev felled Zegras in the Gulls zone but time expired before San Diego could get some sustained possession. Teams headed to the first intermission tied 2-2 but the Reign ahead in shots 15-7.

Despite being able to get set the Gulls could not convert on the carry-over man advantage to start the second.

The Zegras line generated some good chances down low on their following shift as he and Brouillard showed off some new-found chemistry. Devante Smith-Pelly was called for tripping on what was really a dangerous knee-on-knee clipping of Josh Mahura and the Gulls went back to the Power Play. The San Diego man advantage had decidedly less movement than its first period version and the Reign killed the minor with only one high danger chance allowed.

Chase De Leo was a one man neutral zone trap for back to back turnovers until he got a little too overzealous and was called for hooking. On the ensuing penalty kill Bo Groulx and Bryce Kindopp laid down the wall as they blocked shots and made clears while standing up at the blueline to disrupt entries. BO Groulx then capped it off by jumping on a loose puck disrupted by Kindopp moments earlier and pulling into the slot to fire a shot through the partial screen of the Reign player attempting to regain possession from him. 3-2 Gulls, shorthanded.

Once again with the Gulls about to be called for a penalty the Reign deemed it unnecessary as they scored on the delayed call, Markus Phillips getting lose from Bryce Kindopp and finishing a pass to make it 3-3 with just over five minutes left in the period.

As the physical play picked up and the Gulls appeared to target Sean Durzi in their zone they also baited him into taking a call as he was called for interference on what could have been a dangerous hit on Nik Brouillard but thankfully the converted forward saw him coming at the last minute. The Reign were overly aggressive on the kill and prevented the Gulls from really having the time and space to get some chances down low or get properly set once again after a clearance.

Teams headed to the second intermission tied once again 3-3, the Reign still ahead in shots 27-16.

San Diego once again carried over a man-advantage to start the period but again could not convert.

Then as if following a per-ordained pattern. BO Groulx was whistled for a cross-check in front of the Gulls net. The Reign had a firesale on one-timers with the man-advantage as the constant thundering echo of Dostals pads being equal to the chances rang out around the near empty arena. As Groulx escaped the box the Gulls caught a break with a Reign player losing his footing to create an odd-man break. Matt Lorito looking off Bryce Kindopp to fire a low wrist shot on the Reign net and the rebound going straight to Kindopp. 4-3 Gulls.

Akil Thomas took exception to Brendan Guhle finishing his check then immediately got up and tussled him to the ice, resulting in a roughing minor for the rookie Reign forward. (See Post Game Notes for further commentary on this event).

San Diego had possession in the Reign zone for the majority of the penalty, showing much better puck movement than they had in the middle frame. Unsurprisingly they were rewarded for their increase in motion by padding their lead when Trevor Zegras spotted De Leo down low but was sure to send some misinformation to throw defenders off the scent before sending a perfect shot-pass to the La Mirada native. 5-3 Gulls.

Andrew Poturalski drew a call with some nifty dangles in the Ontario zone, getting tripped as he tried to maneuver by three Reign players and the Gulls headed back to the Power Play. Ontario did a much better job of closing up space on the Gulls this time and the Reign erased the remainder of the time on the man advantage by drawing a baffling slashing call on Matt Lorito.

San Diego were able to kill the minor but Ontario kept up momentum and got one back as the Gulls got caught puck chasing and left Reign danger-man Moverare alone at the top of the circles, his shot tipped by Reign Captain Brett Sutter and by Dostal. 5-4 Gulls.

Ontario controlled play for much of the final five minutes and pulled Berube for the extra attacked with a minute and a half to go but Trevor Zegras intercepted the puck in the neutral zone and fired a shot from his own side of the red-line to hit the empty net and then celebrate with what appeared to be some sort of Amazonian explorer salute which for some reason infuriated the Reign bench. 6-4 Gulls.

Andrew Poturalski achieved much the same result moments later minus the salute. 7-4 Gulls.

San Diego taking the win in a war of attrition with their bitter rivals on home ice.

Post Game Notes

Dot The Z

I made sure to monitor face-offs whenever Zegras was taking them. Here is what I noted from those I managed to catch.

First Period
won – power play, gulls got possession
draw – but gulls get possession
draw – but Gulls get possession
won – Gulls got possession
lost – Reign got possession – Byfield
lost – Reign got possession – Byfield
draw – Gulls got possession
draw – Reign got possession – Turcotte

Second Period
lost – but Gulls got possession
win – Gulls got possession
lost – Reign got possession
win – Gulls get possession
win – Gulls got possession – Kupari
lost – Reign got possession
win – Gulls got possession

Third Period
lost -Reign got possession, Sutter (appeared to cheat)
won – Gulls got possession
tossed
won – Gulls got possession
lost – Reign got possession

The face-offs in the third were harder to track, camera views didn’t always get close enough and/or I was tired and didn’t catch it.

Overall he looked much better tonight, no issues defensively, good back-check, near flawless at five on five and the only mistakes made were as a result of trying “things” that resulted in turnovers – which again, I am OK with him doing. Plus his celebration after the empty netter was just “fun” which as Jake Rudolph made sure to mention on twitter, the game – and particularly the Ducks, need more of lately.

Anderssons Awareness

I have been most impressed with the awareness of Axel Andersson through his short stint so far. He showed several times tonight an almost innate ability to time a pinch, hold the line and back-off but hold the gap. Also made one very good timely block on a three on two rush to prevent a sure Reign goal. He has two points in three games so far. On the note of awareness – Guhle had a bit of a snaffu when he did not notice Frk sneak behind him midway through the second, not a good look.

The Doctor Is In

Groulx was a force tonight. The sequence that lead to his shorthanded goal is the kind that will have teams around the league stepping up to take notice and the Ducks scouting department quietly nodding in affirmation. Not to discredit the Robin to his Batman, Bryce Kindopp – who also played equally well beside him on the penalty kill and helped create the goal with a dedicated effort in forcing the turnover.

Guhle Out Again?

It was noted on the broadcast that Guhle did not return after the tussle with Thomas. He appeared to go face first into the ice as the Reign forward essentially jumped him in a head-lock and then DTD’d him to the ice Zangief style. It would be massively unfortunate if he is out long term again but if he is I am guessing it’s head or neck injury related. I used to like Thomas as a player but that was an extremely gutless and dirty play.

Beat-Up Blueline?

If Guhle is indeed injured and Simon Benoit was not just given the night off. At least the Gulls have an over abundance of defenders to call upon. Nik Brouillard can move back to his natural position (for which I would prefer he stayed) and Golod can come in to cover the empty forward spot.