Colorado's Third-Period Offensive Outburst Sends San Diego To Sixth Straight Loss

Feb 2, 2022

By AJ Manderichio/SanDiegoGulls.com

A third-period surge iced the San Diego Gulls as they fell to the Colorado Eagles 4-2 tonight at Pechanga Arena San Diego.

The setback pushed San Diego’s losing streak to six games, tying a franchise record for most consecutive regulation losses (Oct. 9-16, 2019). 

Dylan Sikura and Kiefer Sherwood scored just 1:18 apart in the final frame, turning a one-goal deficit into a one-goal advantage. Sikura finished with a hat trick (3-0=3) as the Eagles extended their league-leading point streak to 13 games (12-0-1-0). 

Goaltender Justus Annunen stopped 26 shots, remaining undefeated in regulation in his last 11 games.

Axel Andersson and Benoit-Olivier Groulx scored for the Gulls. Lukas Dostal, making his first American Hockey League start since Jan. 7, made 30 saves in the loss.

Sikura opened the scoring, collecting his 15th goal of the season with 7:01 left in the first period.

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.

The Aurora, ONT native, who arrived from the Avalanche earlier in the day, picked up a goal in his third straight AHL game.

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.

The Gulls took the lead in the second period, pulling ahead on Groulx’s goal 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 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.

The Eagles high-powered offense struck in the third to steal the win.

Sikura evened the score at two, collecting his second goal of the game at 5:36 of the period.

Colorado's leading scorer took a pass from defenseman 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 would complete the hat trick, icing the win with an empty-net goal with 1:02 remaining in regulation.

San Diego will continue its four-game homestand on Friday, opening a back-to-back set with the Tucson Roadrunners at 7 p.m. PT.