Agozzino Delivers OT Win As Gulls Stop Eagles In Regular-Season Finale
May 15, 2021The San Diego Gulls capped the 2020-21 regular season with a 3-2 overtime win over the Colorado Eagles tonight at Budweiser Events Center. The Gulls finished the regular season third in the Pacific Division (.602) and will meet the Bakersfield Condors next week in the Pacific Division Playoff semifinals.
“When you get towards the end of the season, I think there’s a level of urgency that comes in your game,” said Gulls head coach Kevin Dineen. “We felt like we had more to give as far as playing with a little more passion. I was really proud of the way our guys responded and did that.”
Andrew Agozzino, Josh Mahura and Bryce Kindopp scored for San Diego in the win. Rookie netminder Lukas Dostal stopped 23-of-25 shots to earn his 15th win of the season.
Colorado opened the scoring at the 7:40 mark of the opening frame as Sampo Ranta got a fortunate bounce for his fourth goal of the season. Keaton Middleton directed a point shot on net where the puck bounced off Ranta and over Dostal to put the Eagles ahead.
Middleton has four points in three games against San Diego this week. The former San Jose Barracuda defenseman had two points in 19 games prior to this week’s three-game set.
San Diego responded late in the first period. Josh Mahura took a pass at the point and quickly fired a shot through traffic and past Colorado netminder Justus Annunen for his sixth goal of the season.
Colorado reclaimed the lead minutes later as Kyle Burroughs’ centering pass hit Ryan Wagner’s skate and caromed in, putting the Eagles ahead 2-1 at the 16:59 mark of the opening frame.
Bryce Kindopp evened the scored in the third period, scoring on his first career penalty shot opportunity.
The rookie forward earned the one-on-one chance after a Colorado turnover at the Gulls blue line. Kindopp grabbed the puck at center ice and raced ahead, but was hauled down from behind by Eagles defenseman Kevin Davis.
The first year-Gull capitalized on the penalty shot, beating Annunen with a wrist shot over the glove, bringing San Diego even 3:49 into the final period.
“Good play by Bryce – scores a big goal for us,” said Dineen. “He was a mainstay on our penalty kill all season long. He’s the kind of guy, that when you have conversations about areas of his game that we feel needs he needs to keep working on, he really takes it to heart. Not only do you see him working on it in practice, you see the execution in the game. Quality kid and a quality player.”
The successful penalty shot is the fourth in team history and first since Kiefer Sherwood scored on San Jose’s Zachary Sawchenko on Jan. 31, 2020. Kindopp also became the first Gulls rookie to score a penalty shot goal.
Kindopp, who has goals in two straight games (2-0=2), is tied for tenth among AHL rookies in goals.
San Diego won the game in overtime, converting on a 4-on-3 power-play opportunity with 55 seconds left in the extra session.
Poturalski held the puck near the goal line, feeding Vinni Lettieri at the point. The forward skated down toward the slot before feeding a hard pass to Agozzino, who parked himself near the post. The veteran center used his stick to deflect the puck up and over Annune from a sharp angle to record his 13th goal of the season.
Poturalski collected a multi-assist game and continues to pace the American Hockey League in both assists and points (9-34=43).