Returning home to start a four game home-stand the Gulls faced an uphill battle early when it was announced John Gibson was feeling under the weather earlier in the day. Lukas Dostal was recalled and it was left to goal-tending coach Jeff Glass to backup Olle Eriksson Ek as Roman Durny had already been assigned to Tulsa.
Kodie Curran was still absent from the line up but this time so too was Alex Limoges with no explanation as to why that I could find.
First Period:
San Diego came out with a very physical game – playing perhaps their best first five minutes to start a game thus far this season as they finished every check and caused more than a few turnovers in the process.
Bakersfield began to respond in kind and by the eight minute mark the game had completely opened up with both teams trading chances on odd man rushes and some skilled individual plays.
As things started to settle, the visitors started to establish their game – with the Gulls getting lucky when the trailing Markus Niemelainen had all the time and space he needed to open the scoring but fanned on his shot.
The Gulls best opportunity came in the final two minutes of play when Brayden Tracey found himself on a two on zero breakaway but elected to attempt to execute the very complicated beanpot move, losing the puck as he came back against the grain. He drew a hooking penalty on the play to give the Gulls league leading Power Play a shot to open the scoring.
There were some good looks with the man advantage, including a great chance down low for Mason McTavish but unfortunately time wound down on the period with twenty seconds left on the minor and the game still scoreless.
Second Period: San Diego 0 – Bakersfield Condors 0
Bakersfield put Eriksson Ek to task to start the second period as they controlled the San Diego zone for first few shifts including one lengthy span wherein the Gulls had at least four chances to clear the puck but could not until Eriksson Ek gloved it down to eventually force the stoppage.
On the very next shift Eriksson Ek was called upon again to make the stop when he reached out with his right pad to stop a wrap around attempt, his biggest save of the season so far.
The rest of the period was a blur of penalties traded by both teams, until eventually the Condors opened the scoring on the Power Play with Greg Pateryn losing his man in front of the net. 1-0 Condors.
Brayden Tracey had another great chance to tie things up as he found a loose puck to the side of the Condors net but shot it wide.
With minutes remaining in the period Trevor Carrick spotted Brayden Tracey with space in the neutral zone and fired a perfect pass up ice to him which the young forward collected and came in on the Condors net. Once again he made several complicated stick moves including sliding the puck down to his feet and back up again to his stick before executing a perfect snap shot top corner over the stunned Bakersfield goaltender. 1-1 Gulls.
San Diego heading to the second intermission buoyed by their young forwards first AHL goal, tied up at one a piece but behind in shots 25-18.
Third Period: San Diego Gulls 1 – Bakersfield Condors 1
This time the Gulls came out with a strong start to the period, determined to carry momentum from their late period tying goal.
The Condors were able to control things and momentum continued to swing back and forth throughout the period.
With the Condors seemingly about to take the lead on a wide open chance as Raphael Lavoie stick handled both Eriksson Ek and the Gulls defence out of position, the open Bakersfield player he passed to shot the puck wide of the net and San Diego survived to carry play the other way.
With the puck in the Bakersfield zone a pass back to Trevor Carrick at the point with traffic in front ended in a Gulls lead when his shot found its way through a mass of bodies in front.
As the Gulls tried to hold the lead for the remainder of the period the Condors punished a missed coverage as Markus Niemalenen snuck down low to one-time a pass from behind the Gulls goal-line by Eriksson Ek. 2-2 tie game.
Bakersfield had the Gulls on their heels for the remainder of time remaining with San Diego players scrambling to prevent chances and trying desperately to regain possession while the Condors controlled their zone.
San Diego managing to escape to overtime to play their first stretch of extra hockey this season.
You could tell the Gulls were not used to playing in OT as there were several instances of the overtime session where the complete opposite of what you would expect to occur happened. At one point a Gull player had all three Condors converge on him in the Bakersfield zone and all he had to do was free the puck to one of his very open team-mates but they were no where to be found.
Brogan Rafferty was slashed on a breakaway preventing him from being able to convert on the play and the Gulls had a couple of chances on the resulting Power Play but in the end it all came down to the shootout.
Jacob Perreault started things off with an absolute Broadway move, coming in with speed, stopping up and stick-handling the Condors goaltender out of his crease to slide it by him. McTavish and O’Regan were then stopped but Olle Eriksson Ek proved the difference as he stopped all three Condors shooters to earn his first win of the season in front of a very loud and ecstatic Pechanga Arena crowd.
Post Game Notes:
Too Much Tracey
I hate to ride the kid but he does frustrate me with how he manages to find himself in a scoring position only to make the wrong move or overthink himself out of getting a goal. The two on one breakaway near the end of the first was a great example. He could have faked the shot and passed. He could have tried any other number of shootout moves, but he went for possibly one of the more complicated to pull off in a game situation.
That said and on the flip-side, his goal was also an example of how when he does try those overly complicated moves – it can look pretty damn cool when he pulls it off. Here is hoping that the goal lets him play with more confidence and that those moves ultimately start to work.
He was all over the ice tonight, playing his best game of his AHL tenure thus far and deservedly won one of the three stars of the game.
Carrick Good Craic
Trevor Carrick had a very very good game. Not only did he set up Traceys goal with a brilliant pass. He also got what would have been the game winning goal and played an overall great defensive game. All good signs of a great leader. With Captain Sam up in Anaheim for what seemingly might be most of the season at this point, I think it falls to his brother to take over the Captaincy moving forward.
Where For Art Tho Limoges?
I didn’t hear them discuss the scratches on the broadcast but the absence of Limoges was glaring tonight. It doesn’t help that it appears that Kodie Curran is also out injured – I can only assume that Limoges is too. With the Ducks missing personnel it means the Gulls have had to start scrounging for ECHL PTO’s – starting with Sean Gosling, brought in this week. It will be interesting to see how he goes, as someone pointed out to me on twitter he appears to be a former teammate of Jacob Perreault.
Eddie Eriksson Ek The Eagle
Eriksson Ek proved once again he is ready for number one duties after having a breakthrough year last season. Like Tracey he played probably one his better AHL games tonight. I have said it before but he and Dostals styles could not be any more different. I believe many should start taking notice that you most definitely cannot beat him on a wrap around.
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