LIVE: Gulls Fall To Reign 5-2
Apr 16, 2022By AJ Manderichio/SanDiegoGulls.com
The San Diego Gulls fell to the Ontario Reign 5-2 in tonight's game at Pechanga Arena San Diego.
Nelson Nogier led the Reign with a multi-point night (1-1=2), with Martin Frk, Samuel Helenius, Brett Sutter and Austin Wagner (ENG) chipping in offensively. Goaltender Matthew Villalta stopped 30 shots for his 27th win of the season.
Trevor Carrick and Greg Printz scored for the Gulls, who saw their losing streak hit five. Goaltender Olle Eriksson Ek made 16-of-20 shots in the loss.
Third Period Recap
Frk pushed Ontario's lead to two with 6:49 remaining in the period, scoring on an odd-man rush to pick up his 39th goal of the season.
Wagner pushed the lead to three with an empty-net goal with 5:04 remaining in regulation.
Second Period Recap
Nogier extended Ontario's lead, scoring his fourth goal of the season with 2:21 remaining in the middle frame. Akil Thomas fed the defenseman, who joined the rush late, as he came over the blue line. The Saskatoon native wound up and fired a shot past Eriksson Ek to get his first tally with the Reign.
Printz would respond 44 seconds later, bringing San Diego within one.
Josh Lopina collected a loose puck in near the corner, spinning and firing a pass to Printz. The left wing measured Villalta, floating a shot from the side wall to beat the Reign netminder for his ninth goal of the season.
The tally broke an 11-game goal drought for Printz, who sits just one goal shy of becoming San Diego's 12th double-digit goal scorer.
The Reign will begin the third period with 36 seconds remaining on their first power-play opportunity.
First Period Recap
The two teams traded goals just 30 seconds apart to open the scoring.
Carrick struck first, giving San Diego the 1-0 lead at 4:43 of the first period. San Diego's aggressive forecheck caused a turnover in Ontario's defensive zone, causing T.J. Tynan to send a blind backhand pass to the slot. Carrick picked off the puck, firing a shot through Villalta for his 10th goal of the season.
It marks the third time in his career he's recorded double-digit goals. He's also reached the 30-point plateau (10-20=30) for the fifth time in his career.
Villalta is 26-8-7 with a 2.88 GAA and .905 SV%, sitting third in the American Hockey League in wins and fourth in saves (1114). In eight games against the Gulls this season, Villalta is 6-2-0 with a 2.50 GAA and .897 SV%.
Sutter tied the game moments later, collecting his eighth of the season.
The Reign forced a key turnover at the blue line, with Cameron Gaunce feeding Ontario's captain with a cross-ice pass. He sent the puck to the far post, beating a sliding Eriksson Ek for the game-tying tally.
Eriksson Ek entered tonight at 7-13-2 with one shutout, a 3.27 goals-against average (GAA) and .888 save percentage (SV%). In six starts against Ontario this season, Eriksson Ek is 3-3-0 with a 2.69 GAA and .911 SV%. He's won two straight decisions against San Diego's rival, posting a .500 GAA and a .989 SV%.
Helenius put Ontario ahead, finishing off a 3-on-2 rush to collect his first AHL goal with 7:11 remaining in the period.