Gulls Score Three Power-Play Goals En Route to 6-2 Win over Stars
February 25, 2017 - American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Gulls (29-14-2-2, 62 pts.) won for the 11th time in its last 13 games with a 6-2 win over Texas Stars (24-24-1-2; 51 pts.) in front 10,216 fans at Valley View Casino Center on Friday night. The Gulls received tallies from five different skaters, including Corey Tropp (1-12), Chris Wagner (2-02), Kevin Roy (1-12), Antoine Laganiere (1-12) and Nick Sorensen (1-01), while Andy Welinski (0-33) recorded the first three-point game of his career. Gulls goaltender Dustin Tokarski (12-6-1) made 25 saves in his third consecutive win as the Gulls improved to 7-2-1-0 in its last 10 home games since Dec. 27.
San Diego swept the season series from the Stars (4-0-0) and the club has now won 18 of the last 22 games (18-3-0-1) and earned standings points in 17 of the last 19 games overall (16-2-0-1).
The Stars got on the board first at 7:22 of the opening frame when Jason Dickinson took a feed from Julius Honka in the slot and sniped his eighth goal of the season past Tokarski.
Stars defenseman Andrew Bodnarchuk went to the box for interference at 11:54 and four seconds later Corey Tropp tied the game with a one-timer off a setup from Andy Welinski. Tropp leads the Gulls with 13-2639 points this season and earned his 12th multi-point effort of the season. Tropp now has 5-813 points in his last 11 games.
San Diego took a 2-1 lead at 17:27 when Chris Wagner deflected Scott Sabourin's pass through Lagace's five-hole for his 11th goal of the campaign. Wagner's goal gives him a three-game point streak (3-14), matching a career-high set on three previous occasions (last: Jan. 27-Feb. 3, 2017).
Texas' leading scorer Travis Morin finished off a two-on-one by roofing a wrist shot by Tokarski to tie the game 2-2 at 7:27 of the middle frame. Morin now has 18 goals on the season and has 3-25 points in his last six games.
The Gulls earned another power play a few moments later and responded with Kevin Roy's blast that beat a screened Lagace at 8:51 of the second period to put San Diego ahead 3-2. The rookie continues to impress this season as he has registered 1-78 points over his last eight contests and ranks tied for seventh in points (34) among AHL rookie leaders.
Late in the middle stanza San Diego struck again on the power play at 19:14 of the middle frame as Antoine Laganiere poked home a loose puck for his team-leading 16th goal of the season to match his career high set last season.
Nick Sorensen pushed the Gulls' lead to 5-2 at 5:56 of the third period as he deflected Jeff Schultz's shot past Lagace. Wagner added a shorthanded empty-net goal at 15:38 to put the game away with Texas looking to cut the lead to two with the goaltender pulled and Nate Guenin in the penalty box. The goal marked San Diego's 10th shorthanded tally of the season, tying Syracuse and Texas for first in the AHL.
San Diego concludes its three-game homestand tomorrow night against the Rockford IceHogs at Valley View Casino Center (7 p.m.). Fans can purchase tickets by visiting AXS.com/Gulls or by phone at (619) 359-4730.
NOTES: San Diego scored five goals or more in a game for the 10th time this season, a feat the club accomplished 12 times in 2015-16...Max Gortz (0-11) tallied his 11th assist of the season and extended his point streak to five games, his longest since a career high six-game point streak from Dec. 18-29, 2015 (w/ MIL)...Jeff Schultz (0-22) contributed two assists in his second multi-point effort of the campaign...Scott Sabourin, Brian Cooper and Jacob Megna also recorded assists for the Gulls...San Diego went 3-for-5 on the power play tonight, marking the first time this season the club scored three power-play goals in a game...Texas netminder Maxime Lagace (11-11-3) stopped 25 of 30 shots in his 14th loss.
Three Stars: 1. Andy Welinski (SD) 2. Corey Tropp (SD) 3. Kevin Roy (SD)
--gulls-- SanDiegoGulls.com
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