Gulls Grab Third Straight Win
Carrick's shorthanded tally gives San Diego a lead, and they never looked back
Nov 8, 2019Alex Dostie, Jack Kopacka, Kiefer Sherwood and Sam Carrick all scored goals and added an assist to lead the Gulls to their third consecutive win with a 5-3 victory over the Bakersfield Condors at Mechanics Bank Arena. San Diego scored a shorthanded goal for the second consecutive game and stopped five of the Condors six power-play chances to earn their first road victory of 2019-20.
It didn’t take long for the Gulls to get on the scoreboard as Jack Kopacka netted his second goal of the season 2:21 into the game. After a dump-and-chase effort and a strong forecheck, Corey Tropp dug the puck out from behind the net and to the slot. Kopacka was ready for the chance and snuck the puck through Bakersfield netminder Stuart Skinner on a quick wrist shot. Tropp received an assist on the score, his second helper in as many games while Dostie earned his first point on the night with the secondary assist.
Chris Wideman doubled San Diego’s lead shortly after a series of scoring chances by San Diego. Chase De Leo had a great scoring chance in front but denied by Skinner and the puck went to the corner of the Condors zone. Justin Kloos took the puck and threw it to the slot for Wideman whose powering shot beat Skinner glove-high to make it 2-0 San Diego. Wideman has now recorded five points his last six games (3-2=5) with Kloos now tallying four assists his last two. contests
Bakersfield answered with two quick goals in a span of 29 seconds, tying the game at two apiece. Colby Cave capitalized on a San Diego turnover from behind the net for the first score on an impressive passing play 8:21 into the first period. The second was a product of Cameron Hebig who pushed the puck past Stolarz on a loose puck on the goal line at the 8:50 mark in the frame.
Condors forward Brad Malone gave Bakersfield their lone lead of the contest on the power play to end the Gulls streak of 12 consecutive penalties killed dating to Oct. 25. The score was caused by some misfortune on the Gulls end as the puck bounced off Wideman’s skate at the top of the crease and into the back of the net with 4:38 remaining in the first period. Bakersfield’s Kirill Maksimov added his second assist of the night on the play. At the end of 20 minutes, shots were at an even 12-12
San Diego evened the score 4:35 into the second frame when Dostie hammered in a loose puck sitting in the goal crease. Skinner made the initial save on another shot by Dostie, but the third-year center stayed with the puck and finished the play with a goal for his first career multi-point game. Defenseman Brendan Guhle recorded the primary assist for his third point in the last two games (1-2=3) while Kopacka added the other assist for his first multi-point game of the season..
Tropp took two penalties late in the period, testing San Diego’s penalty kill. The Gulls not only killed both penalties, but also added a goal of their own.
Carrick scored a shorthanded goal on a breakaway, San Diego’s second shorthanded goal in as many games. Stolarz made an incredible save that kept the score even and Bakersfield got the rebound to reset on the power play. Kiefer Sherwood stole the puck and led Carrick up the middle with a deft pass into space. Carrick collected the puck at center ice and his breakway tally marked his third goal of the season and would stand up as the eventual game winner.
Just 17 seconds into the third frame, Kloos was whistled for kneeing, sending him to the box for two minutes. The Gulls stayed strong with several saves by Stolarz, preventing a tying score. De Leo took a roughing penalty late for the Condors sixth man advantage of the game, but once again stayed strong for their 17th successful penalty over the last 18 chances.
Bakersfield pulled Skinner from the net with 1:15 remaining in a last minute effort to tie the game. Off a defensive-zone faceoff, Carrick took a blocked shot and kicked it to Sherwood whose clearance off the boards angled into the back of the empty net with 38 seconds left in the contest. Sherwood’s goal marked his team-leading eight point (3-5=8). The second-year forward also is riding a three-game point streak (1-3=4).
San Diego will continue their three-game road trip Sunday, Nov. 10 against San Jose at SAP Center (5 p.m., FOX 5 San Diego).