LIVE: Gulls Point Streak Ends In Loss To Stockton
Mar 27, 2022By AJ Manderichio/SanDiegoGulls.com
The San Diego Gulls eight-game point streak ended in a 7-5 loss to the Stockton Heat tonight at Pechanga Arena San Diego.
Despite the setback, the Gulls remained sixth in the Pacific Division standings, one point ahead of the Henderson Silver Knights.
Third Period Recap
Lucas Elvenes brought San Diego within one, scoring a power-play goal at 2:19 of the final frame.
With San Diego on a 5-on-3 power play, Elvenes collected a pass at the point from Brogan Rafferty. He measured Adam Werner, snapping a wrist shot from just above the left hash marks for his ninth goal of the season.
Brent Gates Jr. evened the score at 4:26 of the period.
Vincent Marleau collected a loose puck at the point, floating a wrist shot toward the net. Gates Jr. got a stick on it, sending the deflected shot past Werner for his ninth goal of the season.
Former Gull Andy Welinski put the Heat back on top, sending a shot through traffic and past Olle Eriksson Ek at 8:16 of the period.
Luke Philp collected his second goal of the game, sliding the puck into an empty net with 1:36 left in regulation.
Alex Limoges brought San Diego within one, scoring on the power play with 57 seconds remaining in regulation.
Byron Froese would score on the empty net, giving Stockton its seventh and final goal with 27 seconds left.
Second Period Recap
Eriksson Ek made a phenomenal stop in the middle frame to keep the game even.
Stockton attacked on an odd-man rush, with Jacob Pelletier feeding a soft pass for Matthew Phillips to chip on net. Eriksson Ek stopped his bid, but the puck caromed off his pads and to an open Colton Poolman. The defenseman tried to shovel the puck into the open cage, but Eriksson Ek dove across the crease to turn away the chance with a desperation stick save. He'd cover the loose puck to stop play.
Stockton jumped ahead with two goals in 1:15 at the halfway point of the period.
Glenn Gawdin would break the tie with a shorthanded goal with 9:37 left in the middle period, sending a shot past a screened Eriksson Ek and into the top of the net.
Connor Zary added to the advantage, sending a centering feed off Limoges and into the net to give the Heat their first multi-goal lead of the game.
Axel Andersson brought the Gulls within one, blasting a one-timed shot from the blue line with 6:04 left in the second period. Elvenes curled at the point, floating a pass to the Swedish defenseman, who put his shot through traffic and past Adam Werner for his fourth goal of the season.
Stockton would respond just 1:16 later on a Philp goal, his 20th of the season.
First Period Recap
Emilio Pettersen opened the scoring, sending a shot off the leg of Trevor Carrick and past Eriksson Ek with under two minutes left in the opening frame.
Eriksson Ek is making a third consecutive start, entering today after making a career-high 42 saves in San Diego's 5-1 win over the Ontario Reign last night. The Swedish netminder is riding an impressive hot streak, posting a 1.71 goals-against average (GAA) and a .944 save percentage (SV%) in his last four contests. Overall, Eriksson Ek is 7-11-2 with one shutout, a 3.13 goals-against average (GAA) and .891 save percentage (SV%). He won his lone start against Stockton, allowing two goals on 25 shots in a loss on Dec. 4.
Limoges responded 33 seconds later to even the score.
The Gulls quickly transitioned from offense to defense, with Benoit-Olivier Groulx finding Jacob Perreault as the team skated into the Ontario zone. The rookie winger found a trailing Limoges, who fired a wrist shot from the top of the hash marks past Stockton goaltender Adam Werner for his 19th of the season.
The rookie wing continues his scorching-hot scoring streak, finding the back of the net in a fifth straight game. He extended his point streak to a career-high seventh game (7-4=11) and has 15 points in his last 11 games.
Werner enters tonight 9-5-2 with a 3.04 GAA and .884 SV%. The Mariestad, Sweden native is 1-2 against the Gulls this season with a 3.13 GAA and .88 SV%.