After a tough loss at home against the Heat the Gulls looked to rebound while receiving back Josh Mahura from the Ducks a day prior. Coach Dineen shuffled his forward lines slightly, reinserting Tropp into the line-up and placing him on the first line with Sam Carrick and Chase De Leo. Mahura was paired with Hakanpaa once again while Drew and Benoit were reunited to form the Legion of Boom. Patrick Sieloff was scratched to make room for Mahura.
Max Comtois had a golden opportunity in the first minute as a lucky bounce on an area pass found him alone on the breakaway but his shot was hard and high over the net.
Comtois found himself again at the center of the next Gulls huge opportunity as Chris Wideman made a beautiful spin move to shake his man at the point, fire a pass down low to Kloss who then sent a one-time pass back to Comtois in the slot but the rookie winger fanned on his initial shot and could not get enough muscle behind the second attempt.
A San Diego power play courtesy of a tripping call resulted in more opportunities as well as some follow up pressure but there was still no score at the midway point of the opening frame. The Barracuda hit back just after the halfway mark – having the Gulls dead to rights as they frantically tried to recover a loose puck around their crease until thankfully the whistle blew as Stolarz helmet was knocked off.
San Diego were awarded another Power Play when Antoine Morand was tripped behind the San Jose net with six and a half minutes left in the period but again the Barracuda penalty kill were able to keep any Gulls chances at bay.
With two and a half minutes remaining the Gulls finally broke through after a perfectly sleek zone entry by Isac Lundestrom, the 2018 first rounder entering with speed and deftly dancing around the San Jose defense to drift a pass into the slot from below the goal line. The pass didn’t appear to be to anyone in particular but it bounced free to Chris Wideman and the defender put away his seventh goal of the year to put San Diego up 1-0.
Antoine Morand was called for hooking in the final forty seconds of the period and the Barracuda had some high danger chances culminating in what they thought was a tying goal at the buzzer but the officials emphatically waved it off as it was deemed to have been shot after time had run out. San Diego heading to the first intermission leading by one but down 12-6 in shots.
Starting the second period with the man advantage the Barracuda put the pressure right on but could ultimately not convert. The additional momentum resulted in another penalty called against the Gulls as Corey Tropp was called for roughing behind the San Diego net. The Barracuda took just 29 seconds to get a pass into the slot untouched and former Reign Jonny Brodzinski put one by Stolarz to make it 1-1.
The Gulls looked initially out of sorts after the goal but slowly clawed back some semblance of cohesion and the Lundestrom line came close to getting back the lead with some sustained time in the San Jose zone. Carrying forward with their relentless forecheck and rolling four lines the Gulls did eventually get the lead back thanks to Alex Dostie. The speedy center taking a pass from Daniel Sprong on a two man rush and firing it top corner on Korenar to make it 2-1.
Play seemed to stagnate as both teams tightened up defensively and high danger chances dried up almost completely until the final two minutes when Anthony Stolarz got a bit too adventurous in his aggressive style of attacking the shooter, finding himself way out of position for several Barracuda chances during some tense moments that were eventually averted thanks to a key shot block from Chris Wideman.
The Gulls headed to the second intermission carrying the 2-1 lead but again trailing in shots 24-13.
It was a strange sense of De Ja Vu to start the third as the Barracuda kept the Gulls hemmed in their zone except this time they did not have the man advantage. The Gulls rallied a few minutes later with some offensive time of their own courtesy of the Dostie line and play continued to swing back and forth for the net few minutes of action.
Anthony Stolarz was called upon to preserve the lead when he made one of his now very familiar post to post pad saves on a Barracuda two man rush. The Gulls tried to respond via the Sprong line but ultimately did not look like they were as hungry for the puck as they have been in games past – San Jose were easily able to recover pucks in their own zone and break up any potential threats.
Sam Carrick had the Gulls first shot of the final period at the 11:27 mark as he came down the right wing, swinging wide on his defender to get a chance on Korenar that the Czech goaltender was equal to.
Morand was given his second penalty of the game as he was called for tripping on the nearside boards just after the halfway point of the third. Alex Broadhurst created his own shorthanded opportunity just before the conclusion of the penalty but Korenar stayed with him as he tried to fake to his forehand. Play started to open up after the opportunity and it was the Gulls turn to put the visitors under siege, Corey Tropp getting an additional opportunity on a partial break that he sent high and wide.
Just as it seemed the Gulls had things under control and were winding the clock down the Barracuda gained the zone, set a screen and a point shot was deflected by Stolarz to tie things up at 2 with three and a half minutes remaining in the game.
Both teams then settled in for a stalemate to close out the rest of game-time and head into extra time.
Starting sudden death three on three overtime for the first time this season – Coach Dineen elected to play Carrick, Comtois and Wideman to start. The Barracuda had the first chance to end things when a two on rush was stopped by Stolarz with an amazing save sliding across with his blocker to prevent a one-timer from Alexander True.
San Diego controlled play off of the next face-off – ensuring possession by entering and exiting the zone multiple times. Chase De Leo had a great chance from the high slot and it appeared to hit the cross-bar during live action, the resulting confusion and fracas concluded with two Gulls forwards getting caught down low and a Barrauda counter rush ended in the game-winning goal for the vistors. After the Barracuda had already left the ice the officials watched the De Leo shot over and over but it was ultimately inconclusive as to whether or not the puck crossed the goal-line and without the luxury of an overhead angle the call on the ice stood as the Gulls lost 3-2 in overtime.
Post Game Notes:
Shots Shots Shots: If you look at the shot disparity it would appear as though Anthony Stolarz stole the Gulls a point. You can’t expect to hold a one goal lead while getting outshot 14 to 3 in the final period of the game. The Gulls simply fell asleep in the final half of the game.
Morand Getting Noticed: It was called out on the broadcast tonight that although he may not get a star of the game or get on the scoresheet, Morand is noticeable whenever he is on the ice. This is something I have been saying for weeks now – the kid is an underrated play-driver.
Super Scotty: Scott Moldenhauer had his first career multi-point game, providing the secondary assist on both Gulls goals. He has been a pleasant surprise thus far this season.
2023-2024 Game 68: San Diego Gulls at Coachella Valley Firebirds
Dropping a close one in overtime in Ontario the San Diego Gulls headed further east into t…