PREVIEW: Gulls Offense Faces Test Against Silver Knights
Dec 28, 2022By Brett Pickler/SanDiegoGulls.com
The San Diego Gulls return to Pechanga Arena San Diego to battle the Henderson Silver Knights (7 p.m. PT; TV: AHL TV, RADIO: Gulls Audio Network).
Henderson comes into tonight's matchup with a record of 5-3-0-2 in their last 10 games but lost their previous two games. San Diego ended their 12-game winless streak with a 6-2 victory over the Tucson Roadrunners on Dec. 23. Historically, both of these teams are evenly matched with each team holding eight wins over the other.
This season, the Silver Knights have relied on the strength of their goaltending. As a team, Henderson is tied for the fourth-fewest goals in the American Hockey League (AHL) but is playing solid defensively. They are backstopped by Laurent Brossoit and Jiri Patera. Brossoit holds a record of 5-6-1 with a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.35 and a .921 save percentage (SV%). He also has two shutouts on the season. Patera is playing equally as well as his partner, posting a .911 SV% and a 2.77 GAA. In his last 4 games, he is 3-1-0 and made at least 30 saves in each outing.
San Diego enters tonight on the heels of one of their better offensive performances this season. They put up six goals in Tucson and players appear to be gaining confidence. One of the players leading the charge is defenseman Nikolas Brouillard. He is riding a six-game point streak, recording 1-9=10 points during this stretch. He sits in third place in scoring among AHL defensemen. Recently, wingers Brayden Tracey and Rocco Grimaldi are finding the scoresheet. Both players recorded 1-3=4 points during their two-game scoring streaks.
For both teams, the penalty kill is an important aspect of the game. San Diego ranks fifth in the Pacific Division with an 80.6% success rate, while Henderson leads the Pacific Division and ranks second in the AHL killing 87.7% of their penalties. The power play could play a factor if either team can break through on the man advantage. Over the Gulls’ last three games, they have converted on 4/16 opportunities on the man advantage, while the Silver Knights only recorded one goal in their last 13 chances. If their special teams' units hold strong, the Gulls have a chance to record their second straight victory.