Coming home to face a rested Barracuda team, the Gulls made two changes to their line-up; inserting Jack Kopacka on the fourth line and taking out Brent Gates Jr while giving Kevin Boyle the start in net.
Despite the Barracuda coming out with some good jam and keeping the Gulls hemmed in their own zone for a prolonged shift against the Kanzig-Moldenhauer pairing it would be San Diego who struck first courtesy of the De-Leo-Broadhurst-Comtois line.
With De Leo and Broadhurst winning puck battles down low and getting a cycle going, Comtois went to the net just as Alex Broadhurst spun and fired a hard wrist shot that was stopped but fell perfectly for the Quebec native to collect and slide around Korenar to make it 1-0 Gulls.
The Barracuda came back with a surge and once again kept the Kanzig-Moldenhauer trapped and under duress until Kevin Boyle calmly snagged the puck on a chance to allow for a line change.
The Gulls then immediately got back on the attack, Isac Lundestrom coming inches from making it 2-0 on a pretty play as Antoine Morand won a puck battle down low, spun and found the Swedish center streaking across the slot. The Ducks 2018 first round pick then waited out Korenar but ran out of room as he swung the puck around the goaltenders outstretched pad to slide agonizingly across the empty goal crease and wide.
He would later make up for the miss by finishing off a perfect left-to-right move to slide the puck backhand by Korenar as he was set up by Josh Mahura on a three on one Gulls rush. 2-0 Gulls.
The offense came thick and fast as Chris Mueller put the Gulls up 3-0 on the very next shot of the game. The veteran forward providing a screen and tipping a Scott Moldenhauer shot from the point by Korenar for his 17th of the year.
The Barracuda got some good looks and a small semblance of possession in the San Diego zone as the Gulls temporarily struggled to contain the speed of Jayden Halbgewachs along with some dangerous shots from Jonny Brodzinski but Kevin Boyle shut the door and San Diego took the three goal lead into the first intermission. Shots were 16-12 for San Diego on the period with the shot map indicating the Gulls did a good job of keeping the Barracuda to the perimeter while generating several high danger chances of their own.
San Jose came out with pressure to start the third – once again Halbgewachs giving the Gulls fits and then being helped by Letunov to get some chances on Boyle.
The Barracuda appeared – rightfully so – to be the more desperate as they fought to hold possession whenever they could get a hold of the puck and took any chance they could to get a shot on the San Diego net.
Just as it seemed it may only be a matter of time before the visitors would finally get on the board, the Gulls came back the other way via the De-Leo-Broadhurst-Comtois line. The latter chasing down a soft dump-in and turning to setup De Leo in the slot, his shot was stopped but Broadhurst got to the rebound before the Barracuda defense and in-turn fed Comtois coming down the exact same lane De Leo had just moved through. The suddenly-very-hot Quebec native sniping a perfect top shelf shot over Korenar to make it 4-0 Gulls.
Jacob Middleton followed the goal by engaging with Keegan Kanzig in a fight in an attempt to get his team fired up. The somewhat ironic timing of that fight was that his team were about to enjoy a three on one rush into the Gulls zone.
None the less the Barracuda did finally get on the board as an unfortunate bounce squeaked by Boyle on the left side of the post just a few minutes later. 4-1 Gulls.
San Diego then allowed the Barracuda to enjoy more time in their zone with minimal to no pressure and it resulted in yet another goal for the visitors as Kiefer Sherwood fanned on a pass out to the neutral zone and Jeffrey Viel capitalized on the mistake by jumping on and throwing the puck by a stunned Boyle to make it 4-2.
Coach Kevin Dineen called a time-out after the goal and things settled down somewhat after that – though the action was scarce and the game did not flow as easily as it had to start. With just under five minutes remaining the Gulls fourth line got the Pechanga faithful roaring as Jack Kopacka, Alex Dostie and Chris Mueller all came close with a multitude of chances in close before Chase De Leo was called for high-sticking to halt things momentarily.
With the Gulls able to kill the minor they would be given a Power Play of their own as Max Letunov was called for closing his hand on the puck at the Face-Off with less than a minute left in the middle frame.
The Gulls man-advantage looked composed but yet struggled to find an open seam through the Barracuda defensive box until an Alex Broadhurst shot from the side popped out to Sam Carrick cutting across the left of the slot and the Captain did not miss. 5-2 Gulls.
San Diego taking a three goal lead into the second intermission but with some necessary lessons given over the previous twenty to hopefully ensure they did not grow further complacent in the final period. Shots were 13-11 for the visitors on the period and 27-25 for the Gulls overall. The shot map a telling sign of just how much San Diego let the Barracuda come back into the game over the second set of twenty.
Once again San Jose came out with the only option left to them – attempting to generate some offense to claw back on the Gulls three goal lead. San Diego weather the storm and some good work from the defense and Kevin Boyle allowed for some exciting counter rush play as the game opened up with San Jose sending in the extra attacker on the rush.
The Gulls fourth line once again came agonizingly close as Kopacka and Morand buzzed the Barracuda net, getting back to back to back chances down low but could not find the back of the net despite having Korenar down and out.
San Jose in turn pushed as well, forcing Kevin Boyle to make several key saves down low. This time the Carrick line having significant issues gaining possession long enough to clear the zone.
The Gulls seemed content to clog the neutral zone and play a passive offensive game to close out the remainder of time. Harrying and harassing the Barracuda with a one-man out forecheck to try and create turnovers and odd-man rushes.
Kevin Boyle would be called upon to make a big stop once again as the Barracuda got a pass through to the back door but he denied the chance with an outstretched left pad to keep it 5-2 with just under six minutes remaining.
San Diego pressed the issue once again with just over three minutes left but were given a penalty when Sprong was called for tripping coming back out of the Barracuda zone.
Boyle stood tall for the majority of the minor but with ten seconds left in the infraction the Barracuda were able to outnumber San Diego down low and Boyle could not stop a cross-crease pass. 5-3 Gulls.
On the very next shift Sam Carrick broke up a pass in the Gulls zone and fed Pietela to his left, the former Devil then measured and fired a shot the length of the ice to hit the recently vacated San Jose net to make it 6-3 Gulls.
San Diego taking the win and confirming the fourth spot in the Pacific once again, jumping over the idle Reign.
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…