Gulls Win Streak Ends In Loss To Colorado Eagles
Mar 4, 2022By AJ Manderichio/SanDiegoGulls.com
Despite their best efforts, the San Diego Gulls failed in their comeback bid, falling 7-4 to the Colorado Eagles tonight at Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, CO. The loss ended a three-game win streak for San Diego.
Former Gull Kiefer Sherwood continued to torment the Gulls, leading all scorers with a three-point performance (1-2=3). Dylan Sikura added two goals and 11 other Eagles found the scoresheet to support Hunter Miska, who stopped 15 shots for his third win of the season.
Jacob Perreault (1-1=2), Nikolas Brouillard (0-2=2) and Vinni Lettieri (0-2=2) recorded multi-point performances for the Gulls, who lost their fourth game to Colorado this season. Lukas Dostal started the game, allowing four goals on 13 shots before Olle Eriksson Ek replaced him in the second period. The Swedish netminder took the loss, allowing three goals – including the game-winning tally – on 17 shots.
"It was an emotional game on Wednesday, and I think we had a good start, you know?" Gulls assistant coach Daniel Jacob said. "The first few shifts we were alright and then we digged ourself a hole and battled back. You cannot give them that much that early because it’s going to be tough to come back."
San Diego started on the right foot, with Danny O’Regan opening the scoring just 2:05 into regulation with a power-play goal.
Brouillard held the puck at the point, sending it past the stick of an oncoming Eagle and to an open Perreault across the ice. The rookie continued the puck to O'Regan, who found a soft spot in the high slot. With no one around, he took the time to pick his spot, rifling a wrist shot past Miska.
O'Regan continues his strong play, stretching his point streak to six games (3-3=6) and is tied with Alex Limoges for the team lead in goals (11). Additionally, he leads the Gulls in power-play goals (7) and points (7-7=14).
Unlike two nights ago, Colorado would muster a strong response, with Sikura kicking off an incredible scoring spree for the home team. The right wing tied the game at 9:44 of the first, converting off a hometown bounce for his 18th goal of the season. Kodie Curran blocked a Mikhail Maltsev shot from the faceoff circle, but the puck fluttered off the defenseman and to the stick of Sikura. Near the goal line, he managed to elevate his shot over the unsuspecting Dostal for the game-tying tally.
It opened the floodgates for the Eagles, who grabbed the momentum and never looked back.
Sherwood gave Colorado their first lead of the game, scoring on the power play with 4:21 remaining in the period on a quick shot from the faceoff circle. Jordan Gross, who fed the puck to Sherwood, collected his seventh assist of the season series. He continues to lead all league blueliners in assists (37) and points (44).
Ryan Wagner would add to the lead, scoring off a shorthanded rush with just 26 seconds remaining in the period to push Colorado’s advantage to 3-1.
The second period offered no relief, as the Eagles high-flying offense continued to fill the net.
Justin Barron extended Colorado's lead, scoring their fourth straight goal at 1:45 of the middle period. The defenseman picked a corner, wiring the shot over Dostal and just under the crossbar for his fifth goal of the season.
The tally chased Dostal from the game, just two nights after he stopped a career-high 51 saves and scored an empty-net goal against these same Eagles. It marks the first time he’s been pulled this season.
Eriksson Ek received a rude welcome as Andreas Wingerli scored Colorado’s fifth goal – the eventual game-winning tally - at 8:19 of the second. The left wing won a foot race for the loose puck, shielding the puck from the defense before sliding it through the legs of Eriksson Ek for his eighth goal of the season.
Just under a minute later, Jacob McDonald stretched the lead to five, taking advantage of a five-minute boarding major penalty on Brayden Tracey. It marked the third special teams goal for Colorado in the game
The Gulls would fight back, scoring twice shorthanded in 55 seconds to pull within three.
Buddy Robinson started the scoring spree, collecting a shorthanded goal with 8:15 left in the second. Lettieri cleared the puck up ice, where Robinson snuck behind the Colorado defense and moved in alone on Hunter Miska. Robinson faked a shot with his forehand as he moved toward the net, pulling the puck to his backhand and sliding it past a sliding Miska for his third goal of the season.
Bryce Kindopp scored San Diego's second shorthanded goal with 7:20 left, Colorado misplayed a puck in the offensive zone and Kindopp pounced, leading a 2-on-1 rush through the neutral zone and into the Eagles end. He tricked Miska, looking off the goaltender for the pass before firing it home for his seventh goal of the season.
It marked the first time San Diego recorded two shorthanded tallies since a 5-3 win over the San Jose Barracuda on Jan. 31, 2020.
"I think we were desperate," Jacob explained. "We needed goals. The guys, they put pressure on them and we got some breaks, but, again, it’s the broader picture. You need to be sound five-on-five in order to have good PP, good PK. We’re gonna have to bounce back and be better five-on-five tomorrow."
Perreault brought the Gulls within two just 1:22 into the final frame with a 4-on-3 power-play goal.
Brouillard took a puck from Lettieri in the circle, skating hard toward the faceoff dot before sliding the puck to an open Perreault. The rookie winger quickly one-timed a shot past the sliding Miska for his ninth goal of the season.
Brouillard has four points (0-4=4) in his last two games. The defenseman leads the Gulls in assists (19) and points (8-19=27). Perreault (1-1=2) earned his first multi-point game since Nov. 19 @ SJ while Lettieri (0-2=2) collected his fifth point (1-4=5) in the last four games.
San Diego's power play continues to shine bright, finishing tonight 7-for-14 (50%) in the last four games. The stretch continues three games with mutli-goal performances from the man-advantage units.
"I think we‘ve been keeping it a little more simple," Lettieri said. "We’ve been doing well in practice. Coaches have been doing a lot of work with us in practice, which has been really good to get some reps in, but both units just collectively have just doing a great job and holding each other accountable and we’ve been getting a few goals off of it."
Sikura made sure to shut down San Diego’s hope for a comeback, collecting his 19th goal of the season with 4:40 remaining in regulation. Eriksson Ek challenged Sherwood as the Colorado forward charged into the offensive zone after a loose puck, sliding to knock the puck into the corner of his zone. Chaos ensued, which ended with Sikura putting a shot through the arms of Eriksson Ek as he slid to cover the post. The fourth-year pro leads all skaters in goals (7) and points (7-2=9) in the season series.
The seven goals are a new season-high for the most allowed by San Diego in a game, surpassing the previous high of six.
The two teams will face off for the final time in the regular season tomorrow night at 6:05 p.m. PT.
"It’s really (about) playing as a team," Jacob said when discussing tomorrow's game. "Making sure that there’s five guys in the picture all the time. You know the execution is going to have to be better, moving our feet, finishing our hit, being physical and slowing them down."