LIVE: Gulls Fall To Reign 7-4 In Game 1
May 4, 2022By AJ Manderichio/SanDiegoGulls.com
The San Diego Gulls fell the Ontario Reign 7-4 in Game 1 of their First Round matchup at Toyota Arena.
With the loss, the Gulls are on the brink of elimination and face a do-or-die Game 2 tomorrow.
THIRD PERIOD RECAP
Trevor Carrick pulled the Gulls within one at 3:18 of the final frame.
Drew Helleson curled the puck behind the net, fighting off a stick check and finding Blake McLaughlin at the post. The rookie couldn't stuff home a chance, but Helleson worked the puck free, finding Carrick sliding down from the point. The defenseman blasted a shot past the unsuspecting Matthew Villalta and into the back of the net for his first goal of the postseason.
Akil Thomas responded just over two minutes later, restoring Ontario's two-goal lead with a wrist shot from the hash marks.
Martin Frk would push Ontario's lead to a game-high three goals with his first of the series, sending a slap shot past Lukas Dostal at 7:40 of the period. It chased the Gulls netminder, as head coach Joel Bouchard inserted Olle Eriksson Ek following the Reign's sixth goal of the game.
Thomas would score again - a shorthanded goal into the empty net - to tie a franchise record for the most goals allowed in a postseason game.
Alex Limoges would find the back of the net late, ripping home a loose puck in the slot for his first professional postseason goal. Olen Zellweger picked up an assist, collecting his first professional point and assist on the tally.
SECOND PERIOD RECAP
Vladimir Tkachev extended Ontario's lead, collecting a power-play goal with 3:57 left in the middle frame. The Russian forward deked around the Gulls defense to put himself in the slot, sliding the puck past Dostal for his first goal and third point of the game.
FIRST PERIOD RECAP
San Diego scored just 11 seconds after the puck dropped, with Josh Lopina collecting his first professional playoff goal.
A hard forecheck forced a Reign turnover behind their net, with Alex Limoges controlling the puck behind the net. He fed a cutting Jacob Perreault, who brought the puck into the crease and tried to stuff it past Reign netminder Villalta. He made the first save but left a rebound for Lopina, who chipped it past the down-and-out goaltender for the game's first goal.
It marks the fastest goal to start a playoff game in Gulls AHL history (previous: 0:46, Chase De Leo; May 13, 2019 vs. Bakersfield).
Hunter Drew doubled the lead, scoring on a sharp-angle shot at 7:47 of the first frame.
Helleson started the play from his own end, sending a pass to Nikolas Brouillard at center ice. He continued it into the Ontario end, with Drew collecting the puck along the side boards. The right wing carried it down to the goal line, throwing the puck toward Villalta. The Reign goaltender couldn't handle the puck, and it squeezed behind him for Drew's first goal of the postseason.
The Reign would respond, pouring on the offense to take a lead after the first.
Samuel Fagemo cut into the deficit, bringing Ontario within one with 9:34 left in the period. The second-year forward took a Tkachev pass and curled to the slot, firing a hard shot past Dostal for his first postseason goal.
Austin Wagner would even the score, converting on a shorthanded breakaway chance with six minutes left in the first. He intercepted a pass near the Gulls blue line, breaking in alone and shielding the puck from the oncoming Brouillard. He finished his chance with a shot past Dostal's blocker for his first postseason goal.
Fagemo's second goal of the game - a power-play tally - gave the Reign their first lead. A cross-ice pass from Christian Wolanin found the forward, who one-timed the puck past Dostal for Ontario's third goal of the period.