After two straight losses suffered in embarrassing fashion this game felt more like the beginning of serial drama, which Gulls team would show up today? Buddy Robinson and Jacob Larsson were re-assigned and inserted into the line-up in the hopes of providing some additional jump while the message sent to the team for the lack of effort and team toughness appeared to come in the form of scratching Trevor Carrick.
The first line came close to being what I have been wishing for but it seemed like one step forward and two steps back as Perreaults inclusion on that line meant breaking up he and Tracey. My love-hate relationship with the line creations of late continued down a dark and lonely path. Axel Andersson remained the only Gull yet to return from injury while Olle Eriksson Ek got the start.
First Period:
The Gulls were again tentative to start but did get a Grade A scoring chance within the first half of action when Jacob Perreault collected a loose puck and started his own breakout then rush up ice, sending a pass to Alex Limoges on the right side who then further spread it wide with a feed to Groulx in open space coming down the left.
The Gulls penalties woes continued when Groulx was called for a cross-check behind his own net but it was the San Diego penalty kill that looked the more potent, generating back to back shorthanded breaks that somehow did not result in a goal through a combination of a lucky/good save or an unlucky shot off the post.
Olle Eriksson Ek made a brilliant poke-check after Kodie Curran was beat with an inside-outside move then followed up that up with an additional right leg pad stop on the subsequent goal-mouth scramble.
BJ Macpherson finally got his wish as Buddy Robinson was awarded a penalty shot at the 8:40 mark when he was hooked on a breakaway but the veteran forward was denied in tight.
The first line was hemmed in their zone for the entirety of their shift but at the same time were able to prevent any scoring chances against, as frustrating as it was to watch.
The Gulls were given their first Power Play but probably wished they hadn’t as some bad communication in the neutral zone almost ended in Evander Kane getting the games opening score if not for a desperation save and scramble from Eriksson Ek and Brogan Rafferty. San Diego were given another opportunity directly after the Gulls put on a much better display with the man advantage and came close on a drive to the net but the puck still would not go.
Teams headed to the first intermission in a scoreless tie and locked up at ten shots each. The shot map indicating chances were pretty even also.
Second Period: San Diego Gulls 0 – San Jose Barracuda 0
San Diego faced some adversity to start the middle frame as Brayden Tracey caught Nick Merkley in the face with his stick as he fell down during a puck battle by the San Jose bench. The resulting double minor saw San Diego again dominate in possession and scoring chances despite being a man down. The momentum generated by the kill saw the Gulls hem the Barracuda in their zone and force back to back icings – even getting an extra Power Play when the Barracuda tried to slow it down but were assessed a delay of game penalty for their efforts.
San Jose killed the extra minor but the Gulls continued to make a push, easing ahead in shots at the halfway point in the period but could not find a way to solve Melnechuk.
Time flew by on the period with an anxious Pechanga crowd awaiting the opportunity to throw a teddy bear on the ice when the Gulls were awarded another Power Play with just over three minutes left in the frame it felt like the time was now.
Just as it felt like the Gulls might squander this particular instance of the man advantage when San Diego made a good zone entry but Brogan Rafferty missed a pass at the blue line. The Gulls reset and re-entered the zone via Vinni Lettieri who then fed BO Groulx coming down the left side. The Ducks former second round selection then wired a perfect shot top corner to give the Gulls the opening score and bring down the rain of Teddy Bears. 1-0 Gulls.
They ended the second period there to allow time for clean up and tacked on the extra two minutes yet to play onto the start of the third. San Diego taking the one nothing lead into the second intermission with a one shot advantage leading 20-19.
Third Period: San Diego Gulls 1 – San Jose Barracuda 0
As San Diego attempted to follow through with momentum from their game opening score it would be the Barracuda who were next to get on the board as they took advantage of a failed Gulls clearance, sending a wrist shot from the point through traffic on a follow up attempt. 1-1 tie game.
With the Gulls still playing a somewhat better game than yesterday an unfortunate bounce and some weak play in their own zone came back to bite them as Evander Kane intercepted a rushed BO Groulx pass and gave San Jose the lead with just under ten minutes left in the third period. 2-1 Barracuda.
San Jose added to their lead playing at four on four as another breakdown in front of the Gulls net meant an easy pop-in for Barracuda leading scorer Scott Reedy at the side of the net. 3-1 Barracuda.
With five and a half minutes left Coach Bouchard pulled Eriksson Ek for the extra attacker whenever the Gulls had a face-off in the San Jose zone but despite their best efforts they ended up going down 4-1 to San Jose. Their third straight loss and third at home.
Post Game Notes:
Almost There….
Seeing Groulx and Limoges back together was so very nice but also like getting that console game you wanted for Christmas but for the wrong console. I get that putting Perreault with them gives the additional threat of an extra sniper but the only other group of players to show instant and consistent chemistry thus far has been Perreault and Tracey. LEAVE THEM TOGETHER. It shouldn’t be this difficult. Fuck.
The Penalty Killing Printz
He isn’t quite the beast that Morand or Groulx has been in years past, but Greg Printz has by far and away been the Gulls most notable penalty killing forward this season. He had one brilliant rush in which he almost had the games opening score but lost the handle at the moment of truth after successfully opening up and beating Melnechuk with a power move across the face of the net. He was also possibly the Gulls best forward overall tonight.
No Execution No Killer Instinct
What is different about these Gulls lately? Why the sudden goal drought? They seem almost afraid to go to the dirty areas or make the extra step to get into a better shooting position. An example of which would be Jacob Perreault attempting a very very severe angle shot from essentially on the goal-line that nailed Melnechuk right in the mask. Sure we have seen Perreault score from that kind of angle before, but he actually had the time and space to make one or two extra steps to better increase his shooting angle and chance to score on that play. This fear might come from a lack of repercussion for opponents who would do violence against them if they did make that move, which leads us back to a general lack of team toughness that is strangely most unlike the San Diego Gulls hockey club that we have seen over the last five years. Something has to change.
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