2023-2024 Game 62: San Diego Gulls at Tuscon Roadrunners

After a convincing and very well played 4-0 win over these same Roadrunners the night before the San Diego Gulls braced for the all but guaranteed aggressive response.

Nick Wolff returned to the line-up after being a healthy scratch for the previous couple of games as it was announced Luca Profaca had sustained a lower body injury. All other lines remained the same with Hagg moving up to take Profacas spot on the Carrick pairing and Wolff reuniting with Costantini.

Suchanek was given the back to back start with Calle Clang backing up.

Luca Profaca joined Colton White as being listed as out injured. Josh Lopina, Alex Stalock and Travis Howe were the healthy scratches for consecutive games.

First Period:

After being shut out in the previous two games the Roadrunners came out with high intensity. Throwing everything they could at the Gulls including their fists as Nick Wolff and Curtis Douglas dropped the gloves near center ice less than a minute into the action.

The next five minutes was all Tucson with San Diego struggling to hold on and suppress shots where and if they could.

The Pastujov line eventually turned things around and countered with some pressure in the Tucson zone but also surrendered a penalty in the process as Nathan Gaucher was called for roughing. Killing the minor the Gulls earned a Power Play of their own as Pavol Regenda was tripped attempting to execute a spin-to-backhand move on a partial break with Jan Mysak.

The Gulls took full advantage with the extra man as Andrew Agozzino was able to take the puck from Chase De Leo near the net and execute a backhand to forehand move in front. 1-0 Gulls with the primary assist to Chase De Leo giving him the all time lead in Gulls scoring.

From there an exchanging of penalties saw San Diego once again down a man but this time unable to kill the minor as former Gull Justin Kirkland tied things up with a severe angle shot that appeared to trickle through Suchanek after hitting several bodies on his way through to him. 1-1 tie game.

But the Gulls would once again take the lead – scoring once again on their own man advantage as Brayden Tracey showed some great patience, poise and play-making ability to open up a lane and feed Sasha Pastujov at the right side. 2-1 Gulls on Pastujovs third goal in as many games.

Play remained tight for the remainder of the period but the Gulls held off any further would-be scoring attempts from Tucson and took a 2-1 lead to the first intermission.

Shots were 13-12 for San Diego with the shot map showing the Roadrunners given too much opportunity in the high slot.

Second Period: San Diego Gulls 2 – Tucson Roadrunners 1

Tucson once again started the period by putting the Gulls under siege and this time there was no rescue from the Gaucher line as Justin Kirkland haunted his old team-mates once again – finishing off a high danger scoring play by banking the puck in off of a diving Suchanek from almost the exact same spot as his first goal. 2-2 tie game.

San Diego came with an instant response creating shots via the Gaucher line followed by holding the zone with the fourth line before the top line came close on a Chase De Leo chance but Tyson Hinds got caught down low in the offensive zone and a partial break created the other way saw the Roadrunners take the lead 3-2.

The Gulls attempted an instant response once again but were dinged for a penalty as Pavol Regenda was called for Cross Checking. On the ensuing penalty kill the Gulls killed the first 30-40 seconds before changing out the forwards and a great heads up play from Nick Wolff to take his time and feed the streaking Judd Caulfield and Andrew Agozzino. The later feeding Caulfield for the shorthanded tally and game tying goal. 3-3 tie game.

Killing the remainder of the minor the Gulls got caught standing still – possibly too tired and unable to change after the minor and lost track of former Gull Hunter Drew, watching him step onto the ice and step into a slap shot that beat Suchanek clean. 4-3 Tucson.

Just as it looked like the Gulls might escape the period only down a goal despite being largely outplayed for much of the middle frame – another relentless barrage of shots in San Diego’s ended with the puck behind Suchanek as Nathan Smith finished off a shot that bounced off Drew Helleson in front. 5-3 Tucson.

The Roadrunners looking a far different team as they punished the Gulls for four goals in the second frame to take a 5-3 lead into the third period and move ahead in shots 28-20.

Third Period: Tucson Roadrunners 5 – San Diego Gulls 2

It took just seconds for San Diego to take another penalty and less than a minute for the Roadrunners to convert on the ensuing man advantage as Aku Raty finished a play in front of Suchanek to make it 6-3 with Ben King in the box for high sticking.

Things settled down somewhat after the goal but saw San Diego struggle to claw any semblance of chance to get back on the board. Their best chance of the initial ten minutes coming from the fourth line as Brayden Tracey used his play-making ability to set up Jan Mysak for a golden opportunity but the puck would not settle for the Czech forward.

To add insult to injury the Roadrunners added another tally after a partial break saw Drew Helleson do his best to prevent a chance but inadvertently pushed his goaltender out of position and allowed the puck to trickle by him. 7-4 Roadrunners.

Tucson taking the win as the Gulls had no answers for their second and third period dominance

Post Game Notes:

Congrats Chase x 2

With his assist on the Agozzino goal Chase De Leo took the all time lead in scoring for the San Diego Gulls club. Captain Sam as always the awesome guy that he is – sent this message of congratulations.

Consistency….

It is games like yesterdays that are so great yet so frustrating to watch because it has me asking.

Where the fuck was this play all year?

Then also has me hoping but always skeptical

Could they do this again tomorrow? and the next game?

But they never do and it has been their undoing all season. Which can be chalked up to a lot of things but overall the obvious reason is the fact that the team is so young and still learning each-other as well as the systems. It’s the same problem every year because this team has changed coaches and 75% of its roster every single off-season. Hopefully that changes this summer.

Positives…and next year

Speaking of this summer and next season. I noted with Myatovic joining the roster that I had my “Time of Arrival” wrong in the table featured in this article. I have since updated and it now counts seven players likely to join the Gulls next season including Tristan Luneau who may make the Ducks out-right depending on if they are able to make room for him.

Players set to make their professional debuts next year are as follows (in most recent draft order):

Nico Myatovic – LW

Egor (Yegor) Sidirov – RW

Rodwin Dionicio – LD

Noah Warren – RD

Tristan Luneau – RD

Connor Hvidston – LW

Sam Colangelo – RW

Albin Sundsvik could make the jump after another successful year as a shutdown Center this time with Rogle in the SHL. But the likes of Trevor Janicke, William Francis and Jackson Perbix are probably at the end of their tenure with the Ducks in terms of being regarded as potential prospects. Artyom Galimovs contract was due to expire after this season but was extended for another year.

That said – seven players even if it amounts to possibly six is a big influx to join this roster and will mean more competition as well as a boost to Tulsa given there won’t be enough spots for everybody.