LIVE: Gulls Ground Condors 4-1
Mar 26, 2021The San Diego Gulls defeated the Bakersfield Condors, 4-1, tonight at FivePoint Arena in Irvine, CA.
Nikolas Brouillard scored his second goal of the period - an empty-net tally - to restore San Diego's three-goal advantage.
Ostap Safin scored his third goal of the season on the power play to get Bakersfield on the board.
Nikolas Brouillard scored his first career American Hockey League goal, a power-play tally, to push San Diego's lead to three with just over six minutes left in regulation.
Olle Eriksson Ek helped keep San Diego's advantage at two, denying Cooper Marody on a 2-on-1 rush at the 4:46 mark of the middle frame.
Marody entered the game leading the American Hockey League in scoring (14-10=24). Bakersfield's center is riding a 14-game point streak.
Eriksson Ek came up with another key save just before the midway mark of the period, stopping Seth Griffith on a short breakaway chance.
The rookie netminder has 15 saves through two periods.
San Diego struck twice in the opening frame, with Josh Mahura and Chase De Leo pushing the Gulls to a two-goal lead.
Mahura opened the scoring with a power-play tally at 8:33 of the opening frame.
Sam Carrick started the play, chipping the puck off the side boards and darting around two Bakersfield penalty killers. The captain found the puck and fed a wide-open Mahura in the slot, who quickly one-timed his shot through Stuart Skinner for his third goal of the season.
Since his reassignment to San Diego on March 20, Mahura has collected four points (2-2=4) in four-plus games.
Carrick extended his point streak to three games. San Diego's captain has 3-2=5 in those contests and recorded assists in consecutive games.
De Leo continued to torment the Condors, picking up his fourth point in five games against Bakersfield with a goal late in the first period.
The newly-signed Alex Limoges collected a pass from Jeremy Roy behind the net. He separated from Tyler Benson with a nifty shoulder fake and fed the puck to the front of the net, where De Leo batted it home for his seventh of the season.
Limoges picked up his first professional assist and point on the tally.
Tonight is the fifth meeting between the two Pacific Division rivals, and the fourth and final meeting at FivePoint Arena. San Diego leads the series with three wins - all on home ice. Highlights include Chase De Leo's three-point performance on opening night, Jamie Drysdale's milestone marker on Feb. 6 and a come-from-behind win on Feb. 17.