LIVE: Gulls Fall To Reign 6-4
May 5, 2021The San Diego Gulls dropped their first game at Toyota Sports Performance Center this season, falling to the rival Ontario Reign 6-4 tonight.
THIRD PERIOD RECAP
Trailing by one entering the final frame, Ontario scored four times - powered by Mikey Essyimont's first American Hockey League hat trick - to stun San Diego and grab the win.
Eyssimont trimmed San Diego's lead to one at 2:22 of the final frame, banking a feed off Lukas Dostal from a sharp angle for his seventh goal of the season.
He tied the game with his eighth goal of the season at 5:30 of the third, elevating a puck over the shoulder of Dostal.
The left wing scored his third goal of the night on a 2-on-1 rush, one-timing a feed from Nick Halloran past Lukas Dostal for his first career American Hockey League hat trick.
Halloran collected his third assist on the goal, setting career-highs in both assists and points in a game (0-3=3). The rookie forward has eight points (1-7=8) in his last six games.
Adam Johnson scored an empty-net goal with 45 seconds left to give Ontario a two-goal lead.
SECOND PERIOD RECAP
The Gulls extended their lead after 40 minutes with another multiple-goal period.
Hunter Drew put San Diego ahead 3-2 with his sixth goal of the season just under two minutes into the period.
The defenseman-turned-forward collected a missed shot from Bryce Kindopp, curling away from the side boards and charging toward the high slot. His wrist shot beat J-F Berube past the glove for his second goal in the last three days.
Kindopp extended his assist and point streaks (2-3=5) to three games. Alex Limoges, who collected the secondary assist, stretched his point streak to four games (4-2=6).
Akil Thomas brought the Reign within one, sending a shot past the glove of Dostal from the left of the slot at 3:52 of the middle frame.
Chase De Leo restored San Diego's two-goal lead with a power-play tally with 9:01 left in the period.
With Eyssimont in the box for tripping, Andrew Poturalski carried the puck into the high slot with speed. He found Jacob Perreault to his left, and the rookie forward uncorked a one-timed shot. Ontario defenseman Mark Alt blocked the bid, but the puck trickled through him and to a wide-open De Leo in front of the crease.
The veteran forward had no problem slamming the puck past Berube for his 13th goal of the season and sixth against the Reign.
Both Poturalski and Perrault have multi-point performances (0-2=2). Poturalski continues to lead the American Hockey League in assists and points (8-28=36).
Perreault has three points - all assists - in his last three games.
FIRST PERIOD RECAP
Ontario struck first, but San Diego responded with two goals to bring a lead into the locker room following the first period.
Rasmus Kupari opened the scoring at 4:38 of the first period, converting on a rebound at the side of the crease for his seventh goal of the season.
Matt Lorito drew San Diego even with his sixth goal of the season at 11:36 of the opening frame.
Alex Dostie started the play, leading the rush over the Reign blue line before dishing the puck to Lorito. The veteran found Jacob Perreault with a cross-ice pass, but the rookie failed to put the shot on net. He alertly followed up his rebound, moving the puck from behind the net to Lorito near the side of the net.
The veteran converted on the sharp-angle chance, quickly wristing a shot past Berube to tie the game. It's his first goal since April 9 at the Tucson Roadrunners.
Greg Printz scored his first career AHL goal to put San Diego in front with 3:50 left in the period.
The rookie forward gave Poturalski the puck in the neutral zone, and the winger worked his way through the Reign's defense. He brought the puck around the net and came from behind, sending the puck through the crease and to a waiting Printz. The forward slammed his shot through the legs of a sliding Berube for the milestone marker.