Fresh off their road-win in San Jose the Gulls came home to face a Tuscon team riding a five game losing streak and quickly losing their grip at the top of the division. The Roadrunners however would be given a boost – by the conditioning assignment of 2018 fifth overall pick – Barrett Hayton. San Diego in turn; would be without Kiefer Sherwood who was recalled earlier in the day, with Daniel Sprong coming down and being automatically inserted on the top line.
The game had a playoff feel to it early on as both teams made sure to finish every check and the hits picked up in intensity until things boiled over when Jon Martin drew the ire of multiple Gulls including Anthony Stolarz in front of the San Diego net. Unfortunately Simon Benoit was given a matching minor on the play so teams skated at four on four.
Just seconds into the special teams session Chase De Leo was tripped coming into the Tuscon zone and the Gulls were awarded a Four on Three Power Play.
San Diego looked good once setup, getting back to back looks from Andrew Potrualski but the Roadrunners were able to defuse the minor.
The Roadrunners followed that up with some sustained pressure in the San Diego zone, culminating in the games opening score as they outnumbered the Gulls in front of Stolarz, finishing off a rebound that Stolarz had no chance on. 1-0 Roadrunners.
An Avalanche of Tuscon pressure followed as the Roadrunners were awarded a Power Play when Jani Hakanpaa was called for interference. The Roadrunners took just seconds to win the face-off and pass around the San Diego zone, easily finding a seam and getting the puck backdoor for a way too simple tap-in to make it 2-0. San Diego not giving Stolarz any help whatsoever on either of the Roadrunners goals in the early going.
The Gulls came back with a much better effort to end the period as they gained some momentum off of a penalty killing session that saw them get the majority of the scoring chances, heading to the first intermission down by two and drastically behind in shots 15-9. The shot map showing a lot of YIKES for that opening twenty minutes.
Coach Dineen must have either read the riot act or given some quiet inspiration during the break between periods because the Gulls came out with fire to start the second. Andrew Poturalski and Andy Miele tangled in the Tucson zone and both were sent packing just thirty seconds in.
From there the teams exchanged chances on the four on four and at five on five until the Roadrunners Jeremy Gregoire was given a roughing penalty as he charged the San Diego net but ran into Scott Moldenhauer in the process.
The Gulls did not look as great on the man advantage as they had on their most recent Power Play chance but as time expired they managed to get an icing call to set up an offensive zone face-off against a tired Tuscon unit. Justin Kloos then won the face-off and the puck slipped back to Chase De Leo who whipped it all in one motion past Prosvetov to get San Diego on the board. 2-1 Tuscon.
With the Pechanga faithful behind them the Gulls steadily built more momentum, drawing another call on the Roadrunners as Jordan Gross was called for hooking.
This time the Gulls Power Play would prove deadly as Brendan Guhle found Sam Carrick in space and the Captain did not miss. 2-2 tie game.
The penalties continued as Michael Bunting could not go a game against the Gulls without taking a token butt-hurt call. The Ontario native attempting to draw call on Wideman but being given a minor also for holding as we went to four on four for the third time in the action thus far.
With the Pechanga arena rocking the Gulls took the lead as Jani Hakanpaa gathered the puck at the point and had time to wind up and fire a slapshot that Prosvetov could only deflect to the side where the waiting Justin Kloos one-timed a rising shot over his left shoulder to give San Diego their first lead of the game. 3-2 Gulls.
San Diego heading into the second intermission having erased a two goal deficit and ahead by one goal while still behind in shots 27-14 but the shot map looking a tad better than the horror show that was painted by the first intermission. It also didn’t make Prosvetov look too great either.
The battle of momentum swings continued as Tuscon came out with a big push to start the third. Getting an odd-man rush down low and faking out Stolarz, then slipping a pass into the crease that the Gulls and their scrambling net-minder only just managed to keep out.
Tuscon followed that up on the next shift by finding space in the San Diego zone and – it just had to be – Michael Bunting sniped a shot high over Stolarz to tie things up. 3-3.
The fourth line, lead by Jack Kopacka pushed right back as the Ducks 2016 fourth round pick erupted for back to back breakaways and Antoine Morand hustled at the point to keep the puck in the zone with a timely hit. Kopacka then recovered the puck down low and was high-sticked as he battled to send the Gulls back to the Power Play.
The San Diego man-advantage did not have a good start, the first unit giving up two short-handed chances and were largely unable to get set in the Tuscon zone but as they were replaced by the second unit, Isac Lundestrom picked things up by making a successful carry down low, setting up Pietela in the slot whose shot was stopped but Chris Mueller was there in the crease to bury the rebound. 4-3 Gulls.
The next four minutes were a tense affair as San Diego appeared to let Tuscon come at them and come at them they did until the final minute when the Roadrunners pulled Prosvetov for the extra attacker. With 54 seconds left Max Comtois blocked a shot from the point and hit the open Lundestrom with a stretch pass and the 20 year old Swedish forward ended a goalless drought by putting San Diego up 5-3.
The Gulls taking the win, their second straight – to remain in fourth place in the Pacific despite the Reign routing Bakersfield in concurrent action on the night.
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