The San Diego Gulls forced overtime with a late goal over the San Jose Barracuda but were unable to grab the extra point in the shootout tonight at Pechanga Arena San Diego, 4-3.
The Gulls proved how hard they play until the very end as late heroics kept the team alive once again when Ryan Carpenter found the game-tying goal with only five seconds remaining in the final frame. Carpenter ended the night adding two points to his total as he also tallied an assist on the opening goal. Matthew Phillips and Sam Colangelo were the helpers on the tying goal, also putting up shots themselves. Colangelo went on to net the first and only goal in the shootout for the Gulls, marking two shootout goals for the winger this season.
San Diego got the game rolling early as Roland McKeown netted the first goal just one minute and 59 seconds into the opening frame. McKeown leads all Gulls defensemen in points with 5-14=19 logged this season. Carpenter and Nikita Nesterenko helped deliver the puck, tallying early assists for themselves.
Justin Bailey got right in the paint to find his 17th goal of the season, giving the Gulls a two-goal lead. The winger has found 3-1=4 points in his last four games and totals 17-11=27 points on the season. Sasha Pastujov picked up the lone assist, increasing his team-leading point count to 34.
The California rivalry became apparent as Jan Mysak and Lucas Vanroboys dropped their gloves to close out the opening frame, each receiving double-minor penalties for roughing. Bailey also later took a roughing call, serving a two-minute minor.
Despite the loss tonight, San Diego still walks away with a point. The team ends the night hanging on to the sixth place Pacific Division spot, logging 54 points. The Gulls will now prepare to hit the road this weekend as they face off against the Rockford IceHogs for the first time since the 2023-24 season in a back-to-back series at BMO Center.
By Ashley Rubin/SanDiegoGulls.com