PREVIEW: Gulls Seek To Continue Their Good Start Against Griffins
Oct 14, 2022By Paige Burnell/SanDiegoGulls.com
The San Diego Gulls close out their weekend series against the Grand Rapids Griffins tonight in the second of back-to-back meetings at Van Andel Arena (4 p.m., Radio: Gulls Audio Network, Free Stream: AHLTV).
San Diego started the 2022-23 season on the right foot with a 6-2 win over Grand Rapids last night. The victory was highlighted by multi-point efforts from six different Gulls, including a pair of goals by Chase De Leo (2-0=2), who was named the fifth captain in Gulls AHL history only hours before the game.
“He’s vocal when he needs to be, he’s got great leadership qualities, he takes care of himself,” Gulls head coach Roy Sommer said of De Leo. “You know, he leads by example - you’re not going to find a harder working guy…he speaks up when things were bad, when things were good.”
There is a lot good from last night’s effort the Gulls can take into tonight’s contest.
Nikolas Brouillard posted a team-leading 1-2=3 points, while Hunter Drew (1-1=2), Benoit-Olivier Groulx (1-1=2), Brayden Tracey (0-2=2) and Olli Juolevi (0-2=2), in his debut as a Gull, each posted two points.
The Gulls also found a lot of success on the power play, going 2-for-7 on the man advantage with tallies from De Leo and Justin Kirkland, who earned his first goal in a Gulls sweater during a 5-on-3 opportunity.
“Our power play was shooting the puck,” Brouillard said. “We had good net-front presence. We had a 5-on-3, which always helps to get goals, but a lot of power-play (time) in the first game is good; it's good to get the power play going.”
The Gulls will look to keep their power play rolling and their offense spread throughout their roster again tonight, but another focus for the team will be taking fewer trips to the penalty box.
“Obviously, first one of the year, so a little sloppy at times,” Drew said. “A lot of penalty trouble for both teams, but 5-on-5, power play, I think we were real good. Penalty kill was good, too. So, no complaints.”
San Diego also has the added insurance of its goaltending to help sweep its opening weekend.
Lukas Dostal stopped 25-of-27 shots in last night’s victory and is 2-0-0 with a 1.50 GAA and a .947 SV% in his two season-opening starts with San Diego.
“He made key saves at key times during the game,” Sommer said of Dostal. “If he didn’t, it would’ve been a tie game and then we’d go down and get a goal so I’ve got to give a lot of kudos to him. You know, a lot of good things, but stuff to work on. Hey, it’s a tough building to win in and like I said, their home opener so you’ve got to give the guys credit for coming in and sticking to the game plan.”
If Dostal does not start tonight, Swedish netminder Olle Eriksson Ek will take the reins in his first game of the season after setting set AHL career highs in games (26) and minutes played (1429) in 2021-22.
The Gulls goalie tandem is ready for any of the Griffins offensive weapons including Matt Luff, who scored the first goal for Grand Rapids last night, and Austin Czarnik (0-2=2), who notched an assist on each of the Griffins’ two goals.
“Another victory would obviously be good,” Drew said. “Lots of shots is good. We got to test them It’s their opening weekend at home, so all of the pressure is on them…we just got to answer.”