In a rare mid-week game and following their failed come-back loss to the Colorado Eagles the Gulls went back to work at home with the welcome addition of Vinni Lettieri returned from the Ducks and inserted right onto the top line with the red hot Brayden Tracey and consistently responsible Buddy Robinson.
Brogan Rafferty appeared to be a game time decision but did end up playing with both he and Nathan Larose participating in warm-ups. Limoges and Curran remained out with injury.
First Period:
Starting out strong the Gulls looked a completely different team as they gave Henderson no space nor quarter. Finishing ferocious hits and tenaciously harrying the puck.
Their hard work paid dividends right away as Axel Andersson slipped down low to collect and deposit a rebound off of a great shift from Bryce Kindopp and Hunter Drew. 1-0 Gulls.
Lifted by scoring the first goal of a game in the season thus far and with last years standout AHL goaltender Logan Thompson looking very out of sorts the Gulls continued to pour on the shots, following up with another goal less than five minutes later again with Andersson again getting in on the offense but this time Brayden Tracey collecting the loose puck and potting it home. 2-0 Gulls.
Henderson had no answer for the Gulls relentless forecheck and tenacity on the puck, a third goal coming four minutes later as Nik Brouillard beat out an icing call, then fed the loose puck back out in front to an unchecked Danny O’Regan. The ex Silver Knight punishing his former team’s poor coverage in front. 3-0 Gulls.
The Gulls resurgent play continued as they rolled line after line into the Henderson zone, Sean Josling coming close to getting his first AHL goal on a chance in front but then taking a penalty moments later as he tripped a Henderson player coming through the neutral zone. San Diego killed the minor without much bother and off the back of some strong play from Nik Brouillard and Greg Printz then got a Power Play of their own when Vinni Lettieri was hooked on the rush. It took some time for the Gulls to get properly set but once they did Jacob Perreault made the Silver Knights pay with a blistering wrist shot from an almost sever angle. Perhaps his best goal in a Gulls uniform yet.
Henderson were called once again – this time for slashing with less than a minute left in the period and the Gulls headed to the first intermission by an absolute dominant score of 4-0 and an absolute embarrassment of shots for 23-7.
Second Period: San Diego Gulls 4 – Henderson Silver Knights 0
San Diego started the period on the Power Play but only really came close on an individual rush from Vinni Lettieri. The former member of the Hartford Wolfpack was tripped on the play but there was no call.
On the following shift Golod zigged one too many times coming through the neutral zone and was called for interference to send the Gulls to the penalty kill. San Diego killed the minor while generating more offensive chances than the Silver Knights as the Gulls continued to carry momentum forward.
As is always the case with Hockey, with the Gulls carrying all of the play and generating the better of the high danger chances (including coming very close on a scramble in front that was setup by a pass from Tracey to O’Regan) the Silver Knights got one back on a seemingly harmless play as Trevor Carrick had his pocket picked coming out of the Gulls zone. 4-1 Gulls.
San Diego came back with a response shift, creating a chance for Jacob Perreault with a one-timer from the slot but the shot was blocked in front.
Buddy Robinson drew a slashing call coming out of the Gulls zone and San Diego headed back to the Power Play looking to add to their lead. Starting out well, the Gulls controlled the Henderson zone and set up some chances but tragedy struck when a simple breakout and dump-in shot from the neutral zone fooled Dostal. It was likely that he was thinking ahead of the play and did not concentrate on getting his stick blade and body behind the shot completely. 4-2 Gulls.
San Diego managed to setup in the Henderson zone and get some more shots on net but could not convert with the remainder of the man advantage and play returned to five on five at the 8:28 mark.
Play was middling and mostly a battle for neutral ice for much of the next three minutes until a great zone entry from Hunter Drew and then drop pass back to Brayden Tracey in space ended in the Ducks 2019 late first round pick getting his second of the night to stay red-hot with 6 points in 5 games. Note: the goal was eventually given to Vinni Lettieri who had the tip in front. 5-2 Gulls.
San Diego managed to close out the remaining time on the period without any other hiccups and took the 5-2 lead into the second intermission. Worryingly the Silver Knights had crept back in shots, adding another 7 to the Gulls 8 as San Diego lead 32-14 after forty.
Third Period: San Diego Gulls 5 – Henderson Silver Knights 2
Looking to make a disciplined finish the Gulls had to first kill a minor as Brayden Tracey was called for cross-checking thirty seconds in.
After erasing the penalty with just the one big stop required from Dostal the Gulls tried to get back on the attack but found themselves down another goal when some poor man to man gap control resulted in Henderson having too much time and space to wire a shot from the high slot that beat Dostal clean. 5-3 Gulls.
San Diego continued to play a conservative approach to protecting their lead which allowed Henderson to make a push and the Gulls lead in shots quickly began to erode.
Just as it seemed inevitable that the tides would turn the Gulls began to find the tenacious play that they displayed in the first period and began to generate some more chances. Jacob Larsson had the best chance of the first ten minutes in the third as he rang a hard slap shot off the post after one such Gulls cycle in the Henderson zone.
Play continued to flow back and forth until the Gulls regained their three goal lead off a beautiful short-handed two on one play between Nik Brouillard and Vinni Lettieri. The later potting a perfect pass from Brouillard to make it 6-3.
San Diego then closed out the remainder of time with some determined and disciplined play, taking the win 6-3 and moving to 3-5-0 on the year.
Post Game Notes:
How Things Stand
Tonight’s win brought the Gulls up to 6 points in the standings from 8 games played but not enough to lift them out of the bottom of the Pacific and the league. But all signs point to things looking up for the Gulls, particularly because not only are they clearly turning things around with their visibly improved play. They are doing it without their number one defenceman Kodie Curran and goal scorer Alex Limoges. That is not to mention missing their Captain and number one center – who I do not think will be back this season given how well he has been playing in Anaheim. So with how well the Gulls are playing now, imagine how they will look with an added injection of talent in the form of Curran, Limoges and possibly Max Comtois?
Boss Brouillard
Ever since he came to San Diego I have loved Brouillard’s play. I still think he plays better in his natural position of defense but overall, you cannot deny how great a player he is. He deservedly earned a star in tonight’s game with two assists while being an absolute beast on the penalty kill as well as getting some good looks on the Power Play. I was perplexed when he didn’t make the starting line-up right away and hope the coaches can now see why he must never be a healthy scratch again.
He Is So Hot Right Now
Jacob Perreault still leads the Gulls in scoring with 10 points in 8 games but this isn’t about him. This is the Brayden Tracey appreciation corner. With two points tonight he moved into second overall in scoring on the Gulls and has 6 points in his last 5 games. Is this is his breakout? Is he turning into the scoring threat the Ducks saw when they drafted him late in the first round in 2019 with a pick acquired in the Brendan Montour trade? Where has this player been the last two seasons? This is total whimsical speculation that can never be proven otherwise but I would like to bet that we dont see this kind of improvement or display of confidence from the young winger if Kevin Dineen was still coach. Joel Bouchard has been known to bring the best out of his players and he is doing that with Tracey (as well as others). I think this turn around from both Tracey and the rest of the Gulls cast over the last stretch of games is this team finally settling into the new systems and buying into their new coaches game plan.
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