2021-2022 Game 35: San Diego Gulls vs Tucson Roadrunners

Looking to stop a six game losing skid the Gulls hit the ice at Pechanga with a lot of their original veteran line-up from the start of the season back in the fold thanks to Taxi Squads being dissolved and the loosening of COVID protocols across the NHL.

Brouillard and Drew remained at forward while the Gulls opted for the extra defender. Max Golod was sent to Tulsa, Francis Marotte sent back to Allen in the ECHL while Sean Josling and Mike McKee were released from their PTOs. Brayden Tracey remained out with a wrist/hand injury.

First Period:

It took until the 11 minute mark for the Gulls to get a real chance – Alex Limoges missing wide on a one-timer set up by Vinni Lettieri as he swung around the Roadrunners net.

Tucson followed that up with a chance of their own as they almost finished a two on one chance that appeared to be stopped by Dostal and then further kept out by Elvenes but after the TV timeout it was deemed on replay (that we did not see) that it was a good goal. 1-0 Roadrunners

Again the Groulx line had the Gulls next best chance as he and Lettieri came in on the Tucson net on a two on one but the Ducks 2018 second round pick was stopped.

Tucson then proceeded to run the Gulls zone using good puck movement and keeping San Diego just a step behind at every turn. As San Diego attempted to fight back, Ivan Prosvetov kept them scoreless by coming forward to stop any open chances they could generate.

The Gulls down by one after the first twenty minutes and looking like a team that had barely played together over the last 32 games. Shots were 10-6 for the Roadrunners.

Second Period: Tucson Roadrunners 1 – San Diego Gulls 0

San Diego came out with more aggression and were rewarded with a Power Play in the first two minutes. The San Diego first Power Play unit set about gaining the Tucson zone before playing the puck around the perimeter trying to find a passing lane, narrowly avoiding a clearance and in the process finding space for Brogan Rafferty to fire a low wrist shot that was deflected by Byrce Kindopp on its way to Provestov. The Roadrunners Russian net-minder making the initial stop but Kindopp was there to immediately pounce on the rebound and fire it home. 1-1 tie game.

Hunter Drew got the Pechanga arena on their feet once again minutes later as he dropped the gloves with Tyson Empey in a well balanced tilt that featured haymakers from both combatants.

With the crowd still riding high from the fight the Officials quickly turned their chorus to boo’s as they gave Bryce Kindopp a two minute minor for a hand-pass off of the face-off, officially a face-off violation.

San Diego’s penalty kill was the most aggressive I have seen them be in a long time – giving the Roadrunners no quarter and causing turnovers at every chance. With the Gulls enjoying the majority of possession despite being down a man, a three on one break lead by Greg Printz was finished by Danny O’Regan on a beautiful shorthanded goal. 2-1 Gulls.

The Gulls rode the raucous Pechanga crowd and continued to generate chances on Prosvetov but the Tucson top-line jumped on a San Diego turnover to lead a two on one rush back the other way, executing it courtesy of trigger-man Michael Carccone to tie things up. 2-2.

San Diego continued to have the better of possession and momentum for the remainder of the period but could not finish, frustratingly opting for the extra pass instead of getting shots on net.

The Gulls headed to the second intermission tied up at two but knowing what they needed to do to break the six game skid. Shots were 12-8 for San Diego on the period and even at 18 a piece after forty.

Third Period: San Diego Gulls 2 – Tuscon Roadrunners 2

Seemingly growing more in confidence as the game progressed, the Gulls looked more like their old-selves as they took the lead via a great individual effort by Danny O’Regan to gain the Tucson zone, drive the puck around the net and then throw it in front where it bounced in mid-air to be swatted at by both Jacob Perreault and Nik Brouillard. The latter claiming ownership of the much-needed go-ahead goal. 3-2 Gulls.

Riding momentum from the goal San Diego continued to get possession in the Roadrunners zone and shots on Prosvetov, one of which – a bullet from the blue line courtesy of Brendan Guhle – found its way through traffic and into the Tucson net. 4-2 Gulls.

Boko Imama did his best to turn the tide of momentum for his team, while the Roadrunners top line again caused havoc for the Gulls – forcing Trevor Carrick to take a penalty to prevent a goal. San Diego again were able to kill the minor without too much trouble as well as one great short handed chance for Kodie Curran.

Again the Roadrunners fought back via their top line, Michael Carccone once again hammering home a one-timer from an all-too familiar spot to bring the Roadrunners within one goal. 4-3 Gulls.

Taking their foot off the gas and allowing the Roadrunners to ride momentum after the goal it was a very nervous final half of the period as Tuscon threatened to tie things up while San Diego scrambled to protect their net. With a minute left Tucson pulled Prosvetov for an extra attacker and despite missing wide on his first attempt, Greg Printz got a second opportunity and hit the empty net to make it a 5-3 final. A deserved Gulls win to break the six game losing streak.

Post Game Notes:

When It Rains It Pours

The Gulls went from having so few defenders they had to ask Hunter Drew to start playing on the back-end again, to having so many they now have both Drew and Brouillard playing among the forwards while also deploying an extra body on the blue line. At one point both Trevor Carrick and Kodie Curran were taking turns on a forward line until eventually Kodie Curran was made a permanent fixture on the top line with Groulx and Lettieri. Something will have to give and it will be very interesting to see what new Ducks GM Pat Verbeek will do at the trade deadline. Jacob Larsson and Brendan Guhle are in the final year of their deals and will become RFAs at the conclusion of this season. Kodie Curran, Trevor Carrick, Greg Pateryn and Brogan Rafferty will all become UFAs at the end of this season. Of that group I could see Curran potentially moving on given he hasn’t been given the opportunities that were likely promised him when signing in Anaheim as the SHL player of the year the previous season. Verbeek will need to assess who he can and should bring back and who to deal if they are likely to sign elsewhere and see what he can recoup at the deadline, particularly because the next wave of Duck defensive prospects will begin arriving at the conclusion of this season – beginning with Henry Thrun.

Team Tough or Lack There Of

The most consistent feedback I have seen from fans across all channels of social media about why the Gulls have looked so bad this season all center on a lack of team toughness. No fight back, no hitting. I don’t think it would be fair to paint the entire team with that brush, some players have been finishing checks at every opportunity all season – BO Groulx being the most obvious closely followed by Hunter Drew and Nik Brouillard. I do agree however that – apart from a span of games (that resulted in wins I might add) where San Diego deployed a hodge-podge roster of small parts of their current roster along with some ECHL call-ups, the “finished product” hasn’t looked all that tough or passionate. It was as if the ECHL players were more accustomed to and willing to play the blue-collar style. Bouchard needs to do better at getting buy-in or find a way to combat the physical and aggressive style often deployed by opponents to shut down the Gulls offense.

Ice Cold Elvenes

After putting up eight points in his first five games with the Gulls, Lucas Elvenes has just one assist in his last six, which coincides with the San Diego losing skid. He wasn’t too noticeable tonight either and I am concerned that if he continues to drop out of the picture, he might try to head back to Sweden again. Here is hoping he starts to pick up production again or is placed on a line with players he has better chemistry with (cough Limoges cough). At the very least, I would love to see how he looks with any one of the black-ace players coming at the end of the year.