Sidorov Scores Twice, Gulls Beat Condors 3-2 in OT
Oct 19, 2024By Austin Rush / SanDiegoGulls.com
Yegor Sidorov’s overtime game-winning goal lifts the San Diego Gulls 3-2 over the Bakersfield Condors for their first victory of the season.
Sidorov scored the first and last goals tonight for the Gulls. His first of the night was also the first of his AHL career. The Vitebsk, Belarus native is the first San Diego rookie to an overtime goal since Jamie Drysdale on February 14, 2021.
"I think there was there was a lot of good to be seen in the game today," head coach Matt McIlvane said. "Highlighted by a bunch of big efforts, you know, like guys sprinting back to help each other. Guys blocking shots. You know, again, we find ourselves down, but we know we've got the resolve to be able to come back and just be able to use that and then finish the job. That was a really big moment for our group to be able to capture that feeling and especially put an exclamation point on a really strong effort today."
The Gulls and Condors skated to a 0-0 draw after the opening 20 minutes. With 2:31 remaining in the second period, Sidorov corralled a loose puck to the left of the Condors cage and fired it home top shelf to break the deadlock. Forwards Judd Caulfield and Nathan Gaucher tallied their first points of the season with the assists.
San Diego’s lead lasted only 1:49 before Daniel D’Amato tied things up for Bakersfield. With 8:35 remaining in regulation, Bakersfield took their first lead of the night with a goal coming from Connor Carrick. Forward Carson Meyer answered the bell less than two minutes later with a power play goal at 13:10 of the third period. Meyer’s second goal of the campaign was assisted by forwards Jansen Harkins and Pavol Regenda.
Tied after 60 minutes of hockey, The Gulls went to their first overtime of the season where they heavily controlled possession. On the final rush, defenseman Roland McKeown fired a shot from the high slot that was gloved down and played by Condor netminder Oliver Rodrique right to the stick of Gulls forward Josh Lopina. Lopina slid it to Sidorov who deposited the game-winning goal into a wide-open net with authority.
"I wouldn't say first. I would say one of many," Sidorov said of his first career goal. “That was a great play by Judd Caulfield. He made a good pass on the first one and it was pretty much an empty net. Second one pretty much was, too. Josh [Lopina] passed it to me, and it was an empty net. I just hit the net and knew it was going to be a goal, so thanks to my teammates and linemates."
Tonight’s win is the first contest in a five-game road trip for the Gulls. They’ll return to action next Friday and Saturday against the Abbotsford Canucks.