San Diego, California. After getting back in the win column with a pivotal and all important win over the only team chasing them in the standings the San Diego Gulls hoped to keep that forward momentum going as they welcomed in the Bakersfield Condors.
With Herman Traff making his AHL debut in the last game, it was the turn of Roger McQueen this time to make his professional debut. The Ducks tenth overall pick in the most recent draft opting to sign an ATO at the conclusion of his freshman season at Providence College.
As I had speculated in my post game notes from the last game – Herman Traff was sat to make room for McQueen while keeping other lines intact. McQueen drew in on the second line – centering Sam Colangelo and Matthew Phillips while Mysak moved to the third line. Nesterenko moved back to the wing. While the first and fourth lines remained the same.
Defensive pairings remained the same with Noah Warren still out with injury.
Calle Clang was given the start in net once again with Suchanek backing up.
Herman Traff, Konnor Smith, Drew Elliott and Coulson Pitre were the healthy scratches.
First Period:
Bakersfield came out the more visibly hungrier team as they fore-checked with an aggressive ferocity that kept the Gulls on their heels for much of the first seven minutes of play.
McQueen – like Traff in the last game – had a rough start, getting kicked out of back to back face-off’s and putting his line under pressure when Colangelo was forced to step in. However his contributions were immediately more evident as compared to Traff, he stayed involved, had some good defensive positioning as well as a nice zone entry.
Just as San Diego were starting to build some momentum in their favor Stian Solberg was called for roughing after he finished his hit in the San Diego zone, leaving a Condor down on the ice and the Officials deemed it roughing.
San Diego killed the minor thanks to some exciting fore-checking – with Cauflield springing Nesterenko on an ally-oop pass then stripping the puck himself in the Bakersfield zone to cause yet more chaos.
Carrying forward momentum after the kill the Gulls started stringing together high danger opportunities that came frustratingly close to opening the scoring but for a shot being too high or a skate getting in the way.
The Gulls continued to press – coming frustratingly close. While in the final minute Calle Clang had to make some uncharacteristic acrobatic stops as the Condors found some trailers to setup a back door cross-ice play.
The score remained deadlocked at zip after the first set of twenty, San Diego looking the better team through most of the period but were just unable to finish. The Condors also coming close to capitalizing on a Gulls miscue. Shots were 10-5 Gulls and the shot map showing their offensive dominance.
Second Period: San Diego Gulls 0 – Bakersfield Condors 0
Despite San Diego holding momentum for much of the first period the Condors opened the scoring as their ferocious forecheck forced back to back turnovers in the San Diego zone and Quinn Hutson was able to send a hard wrist shot from the right side that squeaked through Clang. 1-0 Condors.
The Gulls much lamented second period collapse looked in full effect as less than a minute later the Condors beat Clang again, this time via a redirect in front. 2-0 Condors.
The second goal woke the Gulls up and they started playing some desperate hockey. First Yegor Sidorov beat the Condors with speed, went behind the net and and swung the puck out front to a waiting Mysak but the puck miraculously stayed out on what looked like a Condors defenders stick.
Justin Bailey drew a holding call and the first unit instantly cashed in, as Ryan Carpenter cleaned up a rebound from a Matthew Phillips shot. 2-1 Condors.
Then on the very next shift, the fourth line tied it back up as Nico Myatovic entered the zone, drew two Condors two him and fed a nice pass into an open area for Cal Burke to send by the Condors netminder. 2-2 tie game.
The penalties start to mount up – starting with some four on four play as immediately after the goal the Condors Connor Clattenburg took exception to the way Nik Brouillard was celebrating and went right after him. Both players were given roughing penalties. With thirty seconds left in the four on four play the Condors were called for interference and as the five on four Power Play eventually came around some nice passing in the Condors zone saw a fortunate bounce of the puck land for Justin Bailey. Allowing the veteran speedster time to wind up and slam a slap-shot into the Condors net. 3-2 Gulls.
Roger McQueen found himself on the wrong side of a turnover in the offensive zone and was called for interference as he tried to get the puck back. San Diego killed the minor with ease and again looked the more dangerous team on offense as Nikita Nesterenko and Judd Caulfield once again combined to create some magic. Tempers continued to flare as Justin Bailey took exception to a hit after his shot was taken and both he and Alec Regula went for roughing. Then during the four on four Stian Solberg was also given a roughing call as he attempted to fend off a Condor harrying him.
Carpenter, Brouillard and Hinds did a very good job of killing the four on three and as the time expired on the Bailey and Regula minors the timing was just right for Carpenter to hit Bailey with a breakaway pass. The speedy winger getting instant revenge as he deeked out Pickard with Regula chasing him. 4-2 Gulls.
With less than a minute left in the period the Gulls offensive dominance continued as Ryan Carpenter won the race to a loose puck behind the Condors net and sent a beautiful backhand pass out front to a waiting Sasha Pastujov. 5-2 Gulls.
The Gulls having an explosion of goals after surrendering two early in the period to take a 5-2 lead into the second intermission. Shots were 11-10 Bakersfield on the period and 20-16 Gulls overall. The shot map showing San Diego allowing Bakersfield to come at them too much earlier in the period but turning it around for instant scoring success for the rest.
Third Period: San Diego Gulls 5 – Bakersfield Condors 2
Bakersfield started the period once again with a ferocious forecheck, but were overzealous in doing so as they were called for too many men. San Diego were unable to convert on the Power Play and were awarded another straight after as Alex Regula was called for hooking.
The Gulls looked to have everything under control and as Roger McQueen was given some time on the second unit a nice setup to Matthew Phillips right in front was denied and the puck immediately sent to Quinn Hutson who skated in on a two on one and sent a nice shot by Clang to make it 5-3 shorthanded. 5-3 Gulls.
The Condors sensed blood and kept up the pressure. Calle Clang was suddenly under siege as his team-mates did not tie up sticks in front nor could they make clean breakout passes.
San Diego did slowly manage to take back some semblance of control but not before another Condors attack saw Nikita Nesterenko down on the ice in pain as he went to block a shot.
Following the TV time out some inspired play by the second line saw Sam Colangelo ring the post on a nice rush and collect his own rebound try again but the chance bounced off bodies in front to Matthew Phillips who shoveled a perfect soft shot over the downed Pickard from a severe angle. 6-3 Gulls.
San Diego shutting things down and taking the win with some light post whistle scuffles between Nik Brouillard and Connor Clattenburg suggesting a rematch will likely have some fireworks when the Gulls visit Bakersfield next week.
Post Game Notes:
Love It When A Plan Comes Together
This is probably my favorite part of the season. When team chemistry is at its highest. The amount of no look passes and cerebral plays not seen earlier in the season are on full display as players instinctively know where their line-mates are going to be at any given time. That applies to all lines – which haven’t exactly been the same all season but the coaching staff have done a pretty good job of keeping them as intact as they could. Ofcourse – when a Black Ace joins the squad; their lack of experience with the team is immediately noticeable…
McQueen’s Debut
McQueen did not have a terrible debut. He received regular ice time with his line and looked to be starting to develop some familiarity with Sam Colangelo and Matthew Phillips. He is going to need to learn and settle into how the linesmen conduct things in the Face-Off circle as he was tossed on the majority of his draws early on but overall he did not make any egregious mistakes and even came close to getting his first goal on a nice setup in front from Phillips. He did collect an assist on the final Gulls goal and was a huge part of it happening as he used his large frame to screen Pickard.
As much as all the attention and focus was on him, this game wasn’t about him though. This was a team effort and I am so very happy to see a few players are really elevating their game towards the end of the season…
Feeling Hot Hot Hot
Nico Myatovic is on a two game point streak for just the third time this season and is four points away from passing his career high 19 points last season.
Justin Bailey had a five game point streak previous to the Abbotsford trip and looks to be getting hot again as he netted his two goals with authority tonight.
Sasha Pastujov has also been heating up, putting up six points in his last six games.
And perhaps the most visible difference maker on the team of late – Cal Burke – is on a three game point streak and has 7 points in his last 8 games.
Magic Number Watch
Henderson did the Gulls a huge solid and beat the Roadrunners with a last minute goal in regulation to help provide San Diego with some further separation in the standings. Going into tonights game the Gulls magic number was 14 and Tucson’s 18. I imagine the Gulls will go down even further after this win and the Roadrunners likely stays at 18.
The win gives San Diego 74 points – putting them just four points behind Bakersfield, who they could theoretically catch as they face them two more times next week. San Diego next faces San Jose on the road while the Condors face the red hot Reign. If the Gulls stay in seventh spot they would have a date with the Eagles in the first round as it currently stands – a match-up they would very much like to avoid. If they mange to catch and move ahead into the sixth spot they would face either the Barracuda or the Firebirds – who are only separated by one point right now. Of all of those teams I would prefer the Firebirds.
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