PREVIEW: Gulls at Condors
Dec 29, 2018The Gulls look to continue their season-long six-game point streak tonight as they face the Bakersfield Condors in the back end of a home-and-home matchup (7 p.m., Mighty 1090). San Diego (12-11-1-3) is undefeated in their last six contests (4-0-0-2), the second longest such streak in the AHL this season behind only Chicago (9-0-1-0).
Tonight will mark the midway point of a 10-game season series between the Gulls and Condors. San Diego has collected points in all four (3-0-0-1), with each of the three wins coming on home ice. All-time the Gulls are 17-13-1-1 all-time against the Condors.
Bakersfield (15-11-0-1) sits in fourth place in the Pacific Division entering tonight only three points ahead of San Diego following a 4-3 comeback win over the Condors on Thursday at Pechanga Arena San Diego. The Gulls received goals from Steve McParland (first AHL goal in his Gulls debut), Jaycob Megna, Andy Welinski and Sam Carrick, with the last two coming on a five-minute power play. Carrick extended his goal streak to a career-high five games (6-2=8), the longest active goal streak in the AHL and tied for the longest goal streak in Gulls history (also Brandon Montour). Welinski also is riding a career-high goal streak with tallies in three straight games (3-1=4).
In addition, Carrick has a seven-game point streak (7-4=11) and Troy Terry earned an assist Thursday to also match Carrick’s seven consecutive games with a point. Both Carrick (16-11=27) and Terry (10-17=27) co-lead the Gulls in scoring. Carrick is one goal shy of setting a new career high to surpass his previous high of 16 set in 2015-16 with the Toronto Marlies.
Tonight also opens the eighth set of back-to-back matchups for San Diego, where the Gulls are 7-3-1-3 overall, including 3-2-0-2 in the first contest. The Gulls enter tonight’s Pacific Division contest with 95 goals through their first 27 games this season, 11 more than the 84 scored last season. During the six-game unbeaten run, the Gulls have averaged nearly five goals per game, netting 28 goals (4.67 goals-per game).
Expected to make his Gulls debut wearing No. 34 will be recently-acquired defenseman Trevor Murphy who joined San Diego yesterday in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes for left wing Giovanni Fiore. Murphy recorded 13 points (5G/8A) in 28 games with the Tucson Roadrunners this season, while he has collected 38-75=113 points in 220 career AHL games with Tucson and Milwaukee.
Another roster move that could affect San Diego tonight is the Anaheim Ducks recall of goaltender Kevin Boyle. Boyle (9-5-0) joins the Ducks with John Gibson suffering an upper-body injury Thursday at San Jose. With Jared Coreau currently representing Team Canada at the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland, Jeff Glass (3-4-2) will be expected to lead the Gulls tonight. Glass has made one start with the club following his acquisition from Toronto on Dec. 10, a 7-6 shootout loss at Ontario seven days ago.
Forward Matt Berry is eligible to return to the lineup following a one-game automatic suspension for receiving a match penalty Dec. 22 at Ontario. Corey Tropp and Deven Sideroff also missed Thursday’s game with upper-body injuries.
Two nights ago the Condors received goals from Tyler Vesel, Josh Currie and Logan Day, but it’s second-year forward Joe Gambardella that leads the team in scoring this season with 20 points (11G/9A). Three rookies trail just behind Gambardella in Cameron Hebig (10-9=10), Cooper Marody (6-13=19) and Tyler Benson (3-16=19).
Rookie goaltender Dylan Wells (3-2-0) picked up the loss two nights ago after stopping 25 shots. Rookie Shane Starrett (6-2-1) could be an options while Bakersfield still boasts veteran goaltender Al Montoya (5-6-0).