Gulls Continue Road Dominance in 4-1 Win Over Reign
Jan 21, 2019The Gulls defeated the Ontario Reign, 4-1, today at Citizens Business Bank Arena for their 10th win in their last 12 games (10-1-1-0). The win also extended San Diego’s road standings point streak to 10 games (7-0-1-2) dating to Dec. 14, passing Iowa for the longest road point streak in the AHL this season.
Jeff Glass stopped 20-of-21 shots en route to his fifth win of the season and second with San Diego. With wins in two consecutive games (also Dec. 29 at Bakersfield), Glass has posted a 1.49 goals-against average and .927 save percentage.
“As a team, we shut it down,” said Glass. “As the game went on, we got better and better, settled into a groove, and played the way we can play. It’s pretty impressive once we do what we do.”
Ontario came out of the gates hot, scoring 37 seconds into the game, the fastest goal by an opposing team this season. Matt Moulson would be the recipient of the goal, scored off a two-on-one rush that beat Glass high to the blocker-side. Mike Amadio and Chaz Reddekopp added assists on the Reign’s early and only score of the contest.
Gulls defenseman Jake Dotchin put the Gulls on the board for a second consecutive game, tying the game at one. The score, coming at the 8:39 mark of the opening frame, was created by Sam Carrick, who kept the puck in the offensive zone before passing it to Simon Benoit for the set up. Dotchin’s wrist shot from just inside the blue line was undeflected, beating a heavily-screened Cal Petersen.
With the goal, Dotchin has scored in consecutive games for the first time in his AHL career, while Benoit picked up his second assist in as many games. Carrick took sole possession of the team-lead in points (20-18=38) in 33 games with the club.
As time was expiring on Adam Cracknell’s minor for holding, Ben Street found the puck in the San Diego zone and flipped it off the boards. Cracknell exited the box, collected the puck just in time for a breakaway and, just as he has done in his five previous games, beat the netminder for the goal. This time 1:49 into the second period. Street has now collected four assists through seven games with San Diego. Jaycob Megna picked up the other assist for his second straight game with a helper.
Cracknell’s six consecutive games with a goal marked a new club record, previously set by Sam Carrick (Dec. 15-27; 6- 2=8) and Brandon Montour (Dec. 26, 2016-Jan. 16, 2017; 6-4=10). In addition, the goal streak marks a career high and he is now just one game from tying his career point streak at seven games.
A two-minute interference penalty on Ontario’s Alex Lintuniemi carried over from the second period to the third. After controlling the puck in the Reign’s zone, Josh Mahura shot a puck from the point before Kiefer Sherwood deflected it toward the goalie. Chase De Leo capitalized on the man advantage 59 seconds into the final period, finding the rebound and putting it past Petersen on the second attempt for his ninth goal on the season.
“I think we needed it as a group,” said De Leo regarding his goal. “All game, their goalie played a hell of a game. Two pad-stacked saves are pretty incredible. So it was nice to get that one in and on the board. (Glass) had a good game. He hasn’t played in awhile and he came in and had a really good game for us as well.”
Sam Steel added an insurance goal to cap off the scoring on a play set up by Keaton Thompson. After Peterson made an initial save on Justin Kloos, the puck popped directly to Thompson who spotted Steel alone on the backdoor. Thompson hit the rookie center with a perfect pass, and Steel tipped it into a wide-open net for his ninth goal of the season with just 7:39 left to play. With an assist on the play, Kloos recorded his first point in his first game with San Diego, while Thompson picked up his fourth assist of the season.
San Diego’s 46 shots on net tied a season-high, previously set at Ontario Dec. 22. The team allowed just two shots on net in the third period, tying the fewest allowed over the course of a period this season set on two previous occasions.
The Gulls prepare for the second of their three-game road series against the San Antonio Rampage this upcoming Friday, Jan. 25 (5:30 p.m. PT, Radio: Mighty 1090).