Limoges Scores Twice as Gulls Take Final Regular-Season Matchup With Condors

May 8, 2021

The San Diego Gulls began its season-ending four-game road trip with a 4-1 win over the Bakersfield Condors tonight at Mechanics Bank Arena. With the win, San Diego earned the season series victory over its division rival (5-3-0-0).

“If you’re going to win on the road, you have to have solid structure in your game,” said Gulls head coach Kevin Dineen. “We talked about intangibles - compete, intensity and playing the right way. We did for 60 minutes. It was consistent from the opening faceoff on. That’s how you have to win. A good way for us to head into the next couple weeks.”

Alex Limoges led the way for San Diego offensively, scoring twice (2-0=2) to extend his scoring streak to six games (7-2=9). The former Penn State captain leads American Hockey League rookies in scoring (10-9=19) since joining the Gulls on Mar. 25. Andrew Poturalski (0-2=2) and Benoit-Olivier Groulx (0-2=2) also notched multi-point games in the win.

“I’ve kind of downplayed it a little bit, just that he’s fit his way in but that kid’s a player,” Dineen said of Limoges. “I’ll tell you what. His coaches in college did a nice job with him. He came here prepared. He insulates all the information that we give him. He’s really good with the puck in tight places. Tonight shows why he’s a big part of our team.”

Lukas Dostal stopped 38-of-39 shots to earn his 14th win of the season. The rookie netminder ranks second among AHL goaltenders in wins and fifth in save percentage (.916).

Limoges opened the scoring for San Diego just past the halfway mark of the opening frame. Benoit-Olivier Groulx backhanded a shot on net and Bakersfield netminder Stuart Skinner could not control the rebound. Limoges won the race to the loose puck, stuffing it past the Bakersfield netminder for his ninth goal of the season.

Groulx and Bryce Kindopp collected assists on the game’s opening goal. Kindopp extended his point streak to five games (3-4=7). 

Bakersfield responded four minutes later as the result of a fortunate bounce for the home team. Devin Brosseau collected a loose puck behind the net and banked a shot past Lukas Dostal for his fourth goal of the season.

San Diego reclaimed the lead in the second period, again cashing in on a rebound opportunity. Jeremy Roy held the puck at the point, firing a long wrist shot on net and Jamie Devane snuck behind the defense. The veteran forward grabbed the loose puck and beat Skinner with a backhand shot for his first goal as a Gull, putting San Diego ahead 2-1 at the 15:31 mark of the middle frame.

Roy and Greg Printz earned the assists. Printz has points in two of his past three games (1-1=2).

Limoges struck again in the third period, finishing off a crisp passing sequence to extend San Diego’s lead. Chase De Leo brought the puck over the blue line before sliding a pass cross-ice to Andrew Poturalski, who lofted a shot that Limoges tipped home for his second goal of the night. 

With an assist, De Leo extended his point streak to three games (2-2=4).

Curran capped the scoring, putting San Diego ahead three goals with three minutes to play. Poturalski collected his second assist of the night on the goal and became the first AHL player to reach 40 points this season (9-31=40).

Groulx also notched two assists and has eight helpers in his last five games (0-8=8).

The Gulls head to Colorado for a three-game series with the Eagles to wrap up the 2020-21 regular season, beginning Wednesday at 6:05 p.m. PT.