Gulls Drop Series Finale With Wolves 5-3

Dec 3, 2023

By Nick Aguilera/SanDiegoGulls.com 

The San Diego Gulls couldn’t make it a weekend sweep, as they fell 5-3 to the Chicago Wolves Sunday afternoon at Allstate Arena. 

Despite the loss, San Diego has earned standings points in three of the last four games (2-1-1-0). 

"Last night, we won the game in between the two blue lines," assistant coach Jason Clarke said. "We were able to get pucks in behind Chicago's defense and score and be able to really establish a forecheck, but today we just didn't seem to have the same type of discipline with the puck and getting the puck in behind."

After not holding a lead all game on Saturday, Chicago wasted no time getting on the board Sunday. Josh Melnick scored for the second time on the weekend 1:23 into the game to get the Wolves an early lead. Cole Schneider added another halfway through the opening frame to stretch the lead to two. 

Chase De Leo jumpstarted the Gulls offense with a goal just over five minutes into the second, his second of the season. Jacob Perreault picked up the primary assist, giving him points in three straight games (1-3=4) and 2-5=7 points over his last six contests. 

Nathan Gaucher tied the game a minute and a half later, cleaning up in the crease for his second goal in as many games, his first professional goal streak (2-0=2). Judd Caulfield earned an assist, giving him helpers in back-to-back games for the first time in his AHL career. 

"It's a great play by [Brayden Tracey] and Judd," Gaucher said. "I was just there to put it in the back of the net, but that's where I like to be. 

"I think you get three different players [on our line]. Me and Judd, we can forecheck a bit more, hit, and Tracey that is really skilled. So, we can finish plays, we can play with each other. We talk a lot, so that helps."

Former Gull Max Comtois put the Wolves back in front late in the second after he and Chris Terry broke free for a 2-on-1 opportunity. He later added his second goal of the game at 6:18 in the third to restore the two-goal lead. 

The lead was quickly cut in half after Glenn Gawdin put one past Adam Scheel a little over a minute later during a 4-on-4 opportunity. 

The Wolves iced the game with a power-play goal late in the third, though, after Schneider netted his second of the game. 

Trevor Carrick, Colton White and Tracey all picked up assists. Calle Clang stopped 21-of-26 shots in his second consecutive start. 

The Gulls continue their five-game road trip with their first matchup of the season with the Milwaukee Admirals Wednesday night at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena (5 p.m. PST). 

"We just got to learn from our mistakes from the weekend and work on those things on Tuesday and hopefully bring in more of a consistent effort on Wednesday," Clarke said.