Comtois Lifts Gulls to 3-2 Victory in Fourth Overtime
May 4, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
The Gulls won the fifth longest game in AHL history in the fourth overtime, a 3-2 win in 124:20 of regulation and overtime at Rabobank Arena. Max Comtois scored 124:20 into overtime to lead the Gulls to a 3-2 win in the fifth longest game in AHL history. The total game time was five hours and 10 minutes (game began at 7:10 p.m., ended at 12:20 a.m.).
San Diego has now won three straight games, in addition to three consecutive road postseason wins. Dating to the regular season, San Diego has earned points in 10 straight road games (4-0-2-0 regular season, 3-0 playoffs), in addition to 25 of their last 29 road contests (17-4-4-2 regular season, 3-0 playoffs).
Max Comtois scored 64:20 into overtime for his first career playoff goal in his Calder Cup Playoffs debut. Comtois was assigned by the Anaheim Ducks to San Diego prior to the game. Comtois scored in his NHL debut with Anaheim (Oct. 3 at San Jose), AHL debut with San Diego (Nov. 16 vs. Bakersfield) and his AHL postseason debut tonight. Kevin Roy and Simon Benoit each earned assists on the game-winning goal. Roy recorded his first point of the playoffs in his first game of the 2019 playoffs and Benoit tallied his second of the postseason.
Jeff Glass stopped the most shots in Gulls postseason history (51) to earn his fourth win of the playoffs and tie the Gulls all-time mark (also Jhonas Enroth). Glass has won all five road playoff games in his career, posting a 1.47 goals-against average (GAA) and .949 save percentage (SV%).
Justin Kloos scored his second goal of the postseason (PPG), unassisted, 32 seconds into the third period to tie the game at 1-1. Kloos has recorded points in all five playoff games (2-3=5) to co-lead AHL leaders with a five-game point streak. Kloos is just the second player to record a point in each of the first five Gulls playoff games (also Nick Ritchie in 2016).
Sam Carrick scored his third goal of the postseason for his team-leading seventh point (3-4=7). Carrick now has a three-game point streak (2-2=4).
Ben Street picked up the lone assist on Carrick's goal to push his point streak to three games (1-2=3).
The series will continue with Game 2 Saturday evening at Rabobank Arena (7 p.m., FOX 5 San Diego) before it shifts to San Diego for Games 3 and 4 on Wednesday, May 8 (7 p.m.) and Friday, May 10 (7 p.m.) at Pechanga Arena San Diego.
POSTGAME QUOTES
San Diego Gulls
Max Comtois
On his overtime-winning goal
Just gave it to (Kevin Roy) and he made a sick play to get both (defensemen) to him and give me some space. Just find a way to put it in. We were pretty tired with four overtimes so we're just happy to have the win.
On his line with Isac Lundestrom and Kevin Roy
I haven't played for a couple times. I had a week and (Lundestrom) had a week also so we had fresh legs. We just wanted to keep things simple, play our game and find a way to help. The first period was a little bit hard and then we got to know each other a little more on the ice and find chemistry. It worked in the overtime.
Jeff Glass
On overtime
I think at that point, we've worked hard enough as a group that you want to do everything in your power to give them the best chance to win. As a group we played outstanding and (we're) obviously ecstatic with the win, but it's one win and we want them all.
On coming back to tie the game twice
It's kind of what we've been doing all year. It's pretty cool to see that happen so quick. We've always said that we have a high-character group in there, we have a lot of quality individuals. When something like that happens, a call really didn't go our way, we bounce back right away and get a big goal. The next thing you know, we're four overtimes deep.
Head Coach Dallas Eakins
On the message between overtime periods
We did a lot of talking in between each one and basically just trying to stick with our habits. As that game goes along, obviously fatigue setting in. That's when your habits will start to fall away. We wanted to stay sharp mentally. Interesting enough, going into the last overtime, I was upfront and honest with them. I told them, 'I got barely anything more to say to you guys and we need to end this now because I've run out of thoughts and direction.' That was just a hell of an effort by every one of our guys. We were down to five defensemen early in the game so those guys logged a lot of ice. One thing we value with our team is our fitness level. We've worked really hard on it this year and it paid off.
On the line of Max Comtois, Isac Lundestrom and Kevin Roy
Well we put them together in practice this week and they were very good. Throughout the game, they looked fine out there. As the game went on, I thought they were getting better and better. Kevin Roy hasn't played in quite a long time. For me, with not only those guys, but all of our players, you have to trust them. I think when you trust them, they feel that trust and they usually play very well. Just a real good night, not only by that line, but by all of our guys.
On preparing for Game 2
It's already tomorrow, right now. We need to get rest. It's rest, food, liquids, electrolytes and more rest. The guys that are playing, we'll get them over here a hour and a half or two hours before the game and reconvene, have a couple meetings and we'll be right back at it.
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American Hockey League Stories from May 4, 2019
- Checkers Ride Strong Third Period Past Bears - Hershey Bears
- Checkers Rout Hershey 7-3 to Extend Series Lead - Charlotte Checkers
- Condors Host Game 2 of Pacific Division Finals against San Diego Tonight - Bakersfield Condors
- Game Preview: Bears at Checkers, 6 p.m. (Round 2, Game 2) - Hershey Bears
- 'Canes Reassign Nedeljkovic to Charlotte - Charlotte Checkers
- Comtois Lifts Gulls to 3-2 Victory in Fourth Overtime - San Diego Gulls
- Condors Drop Fifth Longest Game in AHL History, 3-2, in Four Overtimes - Bakersfield Condors
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