LIVE: Gulls Snap Losing Skid With Win Over Tucson
Feb 4, 2022By AJ Manderichio/SanDiegoGulls.com
The San Diego Gulls took down the Tucson Roadrunners 5-3 in tonight's game at Pechanga Arena.
The Gulls snapped a six-game losing streak on the strength of a four-point performance from Danny O'Regan (1-3=4). Greg Printz added three points (1-2=3) and three others found the back of the net. Lukas Dostal stopped 27-of-30 shots to collect his seventh win of the season.
Michael Carcone, always a thorn in San Diego's side, led Tucson with two goals (2-0=2). Rookie forward Matias Maccelli collected two assists (0-2=2). Goaltender Ivan Prosvetov stopped 20-of-24 shots.
Third Period Recap
The Gulls took over the final frame, scoring twice in 90 seconds to break a 2-2 tie.
Nikolas Brouillard put the Gulls ahead on a highlight-reel tally at 4:02 of the final frame. O'Regan curled out from behind the net with the puck, sending a backhand attempt through the crease. It found Jacob Perreault, who stationed himself at the right post. The Gulls rookie tried to jam the puck past Prosvetov, but the Tucson netminder put his pad down, sending a knuckling puck in the air. Brouillard crashed the crease, batting the puck out of the air and into the back of the net for his seventh goal of the season.
The defenseman has three goals in his last five games (3-0=3).
O'Regan eclipsed his season-high for assists (2) and points (1-2=3).
Brendan Guhle extended the lead, putting a point shot off a Tucson defenseman and past Prosvetov for his first goal of the season at 5:32 of the period.
Printz collected a loose puck in the corner, finding Brogan Rafferty at the point. The defenseman sent a cross-ice pass to Guhle, who fired it on net and received the friendly bounce.
With his second assist of the game, Printz established new career-highs in assists (2) in a game.
Carcone brought the Roadrunners within one, collecting his second goal of the game at 6:40 of the final frame. The right wing found a soft spot in the offensive zone, sending a one-timed shot from the low circle past a sliding Dostal for his 12th goal of the season.
Maccelli collected an assist on the play, his second point of the game (0-2=2). He has four points - all assists - in his last two games and continues to pace American Hockey League rookies in assists (28) and points (10-28=38).
Printz would ice the win, scoring on the empty net with 24 seconds left in regulation.
The forward established a new career-high with three points (1-2=3) in the win. O'Regan earned a season-high third assist on the play.
SECOND PERIOD RECAP
Bryce Kindopp evened the score, converting on the power play at 1:59 of the middle frame.
O'Regan and Rafferty played catch at the point, with the center finding the veteran defenseman with a pass and space in front. Rafferty came down from the top of the zone and fired a low shot on net. The attempt deflected off traffic but found a cutting Kindopp, who moved the puck to his backhand and sent it past a screened Prosvetov for his fifth goal of the season.
The goal ends a six-game scoreless drought for Kindopp, who picked up his second power-play goal of the season.
O'Regan gave the Gulls their first lead of the game, scoring a shorthanded goal at 6:54 of the period.
The veteran center started the play, pressuring Tucson on the power play and turning the Roadrunners over and feeding a streaking Printz to start an odd-man rush. The forward found O'Regan alone in the circle, and O'Regan did the rest, snapping a shot past the sliding Prosvetov for his sixth goal of the season.
Michael Carcone tied the game at 9:20 of the period, converting a backdoor feed from Maccelli for his 11th goal of the season.
The two teams ended the second period tied in shots, 18-18.
First Period Recap
Hudson Fasching opened the scoring at 7:51 of the opening period, collecting the rebound of a Jan Jenik shot and sending it into Dostal and a mass of bodies in the crease. After not signaling a goal on the ice, the referees reviewed the play and awarded Tucson the game's first goal.
Dostal enters tonight with a 6-7-0 record, a 2.88 goals-against average (GAA) and .900 save percentage (SV%).
Prosvetov is in net for the Roadrunners, stopping all six shots he faced in the first period. He brings a 9-10-4 record with a 3.44 GAA and .887 SV% into tonight's game.