Gulls, Reign Face Off In Preseason Action At Honda Center
Jan 29, 2021Call it the appetizer in the rivalry menu.
The San Diego Gulls and Ontario Reign face off for the first time in 2021, dropping the puck on preseason action tonight from Honda Center in Anaheim, CA at 6 p.m. PT. Tonight's game is closed to the public.
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San Diego brings a 1-1-0 record into its third preseason contest. The team split a series with the San Jose Barracuda, with its high-powered offense leading the way in a 5-1 win. The Gulls dropped the second contest, a 4-1 loss to the Barracuda.
Sam Carrick, the team’s captain and a consistent offensive threat, leads the way in exhibition action. Entering tonight, the center has four points (3g/1a) in two games.
Earlier this week, the Anaheim Ducks added depth to the organization, adding Trevor Carrick – Sam’s brother – in a trade with San Jose for left wing Jack Kopacka. Trevor – who is two years younger than his brother - split the 2019-20 season with the Sharks and San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League (AHL), appearing in three NHL games with the Sharks while adding five penalty minutes (PIM). Carrick spent the remainder of the season with the Barracuda, earning 10-13=23 points in 48 AHL games.
Carrick has 395 career AHL games with San Jose and Charlotte, tallying 50-154=204 points and 416 penalty minutes (PIM). Selected by Carolina in the fourth round (115th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Carrick won a Calder Cup Championship in 2019 and represented the Checkers at the 2016 and 2019 AHL All-Star Classic.
Ontario enters tonight’s game with 2-1-0 preseason record. The Reign recorded back-to-back wins over San Jose and the Tucson Roadrunners before dropping their third contest, a 4-2 loss on home ice on Monday. Akil Thomas – a Kings 2018 second-round selection – scored in each game.
Thomas is one of several Kings prospects on the Reign roster. The group of 12 includes first-round selections like Quinton Byfield, the second overall selection in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Tonight is a rescheduled contest for the two rivals. The teams postponed their recent weekend preseason series out of an abundance of caution due to COVID-19 protocols.