LIVE: Gulls Fall 4-2 To Eagles
Feb 2, 2022By AJ Manderichio/SanDiegoGulls.com
The San Diego Gulls fell to the Colorado Eagles 4-2 in tonight's game at Pechanga Arena San Diego.
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Dylan Sikura - assigned to the Eagles by the National Hockey League's Colorado Avalanche earlier in the day - recorded a hat trick to propel Colorado to the win. Former Gull Kiefer Sherwood recorded two points (1-1=2) as the Eagles stretched their league-leading point streak to 13 games (11-0-1-1).
Axel Andersson and Benoit-Olivier Groulx scored for the Gulls, who saw its losing streak hit six games. Lukas Dostal, making his first American Hockey League start since Jan. 7, stopped 30 shots.
Third Period Recap
Sikura evened the score, collecting his second goal of the game at 5:36 of the period.
Colorado's leading scorer took a pass from Jordan Gross and streaked up the ice, cutting to the faceoff circle before firing a wrist shot past the blocker of Dostal for his 16th goal of the season.
Sherwood gave the Eagles the lead at 6:54 of the period, converting on a broken play in front for his 14th goal of the season. Sherwood has three goals in two goals against his former team.
Sikura completed the hat trick, scoring an empty-net goal with 1:02 left in the game.
Second Period Recap
Groulx put the Gulls ahead with 9:57 left in the middle frame.
Greg Pateryn pinched down the wall, denying a Colorado clearing attempt and catching the Eagles rushing out of their zone. The puck deflected to Alex Limoges, who hit an open Groulx with a short pass. Alone in front, the Gulls center roofed his shot over the blocker of Justus Annunen for his sixth goal of the season.
Groulx is finding his offensive stride, recording four points (3-1=4) in his last five games.
Dostal preserved the lead with an incredible desperation save late in the frame.
With San Diego's power play winding down, Colorado right wing Callahan Burke flew the zone, collecting a pass at center ice and leading a 2-on-1 rush with Martin Kaut. He sent the puck to his teammate, who cut across the front of the net and tried to stuff a backhand shot into the net. Dostal denied, quickly adjusting mid-slide to kick out the right leg and stop the puck with the toe of his skates.
First Period Recap
Sikura collected his 15th goal of the season with 7:01 left in the opening frame.
Mikhail Maltsev collected a loose puck at the side boards, spinning and sending a low shot on Dostal. The San Diego netminder made the initial save but kicked the rebound to Sikura, who whipped the puck into the net to open the scoring.
Dostal enters tonight with a 6-6-0 record, a 2.86 goals-against average (GAA) and .899 save percentage (SV%). Dostal, who came down from the Anaheim Ducks earlier today, is making his first start since a 37-save effort against the Stockton Heat on Jan. 7.
Andersson tied the game, scoring his third goal of the season with 3:13 left in the period.
Greg Printz carried the puck out from behind the net, angling a pass off the side boards and to Andersson at the point. The defenseman one-timed the puck through traffic and past Annunen for the game-tying tally.
Annunen enters tonight with no regulation losses in his last 10 starts (9-0-1-0) and the third-most wins in the American Hockey League (15). Additionally, he comes in with a 2.61 GAA and .906 SV%.