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AHL San Diego Gulls

Gulls Remain Hot against Tucson

February 8, 2020 - American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


The Gulls won 5-3 tonight over the Tucson Roadrunners to extend their point streak to a season high six games (4-0-2-0). The Gulls also have points in 11 of their last 12 games (9-1-2-0) and 15 of the last 19 overall (11-4-3-1). In the last 12 contests, the Gulls have scored four-or-more goals on nine occasions while outscoring opponents 47-30

San Diego scored three third-period goals in a span of 7:22, setting a new second period high this season (previous two, nine times; last: Jan. 17 vs. Tucson).

Justin Kloos recorded his sixth multi-point game with a goal and assist (1-1=2), marking 1-2=3 points his last four games. Kloos is now tied for third among San Diego leaders in goals (10) and scoring (10-14=24).

Chase De Leo scored his eighth goal and added an assist to push his point total to five his last four games (1-4=5).

Sam Carrick netted his team-leading 19th goal (power-play goal) to pushing his point streak to a season-tying six games (2-5=7). Carrick recorded two previous six-game point streaks this season (Nov. 30 - Jan. 11; 8-2=10 and Nov. 8-16; 7-2=9). He also has 20 points his last 16 games (10-10=20, +15) and 29 points his last 25 contests (17-12=29, +24).

Chris Mueller scored for the second straight game on the power play 8:00 into the third period. Mueller has 15 goals this season (four with San Diego) and three his last four contests (3-0=3).

Isac Lundestrom scored an empty-net goal to seal the win at 18:54 of the third period, his fifth point the last five games (1-4=5).

Daniel Sprong added his team-leading 16th assist, his third point the last two contests (1-2=3). Sprong has tallied 2-5=7 points his last eight games and 5-9=14 points his last 15 games.

Blake Pietila tallied an assist for points in three straight games (2-2=4) and also has 2-4=6 points his last five contests. Jani Hakanpaa earned his 13th point (1-12=13), Simon Benoit has now picked up points in back-to-back games (1-1=2) and Max Comtois recorded his eighth point his last 10 games 1-7=8).

Anthony Stolarz won his fourth straight game and 17th overall this season, ranking tied for third among AHL goaltenders in wins and seventh in save percentage (.920). During his four-game win streak, Stolarz has posted a 2.25 goals-against average (GAA) and .925 save percentage (SV%). Stolarz is also 7-0-1 his last eight starts with a 2.47 GAA and .932 SV%, stopping 30-or-more shots in seven of the eight appearances.

San Diego will conclude the homestand on Sunday, Feb. 9 vs. the Bakersfield Condors (7 p.m.).

POSTGAME QUOTES

San Diego Gulls

Chase De Leo

On the team

It doesn't really matter what guys are in the lineup. If we have guys up in the NHL or guys injured, or new guys in the lineup, it's just finding a way to dig deep no matter who we're playing against. It doesn't really matter who we have in our lineup and doesn't matter too much who they have in their lineup. It's just competing every single night and whoever wants it more is probably going to get the two points.

On his goal

Including last year, I think we've tried it like 500 times and that was the first time it worked, so we had a bit of a laugh for sure. It was a long time coming and we're familiar with playing with each other. It was definitely nice to be rewarded.

On Chris Mueller's goal

It happened so fast. I feel like I was jumping up in his arms as soon as it went over the goal line. That's why we acquired him, he's a good net-front presence on the power play. He's known for banging those goals in. It was a huge goal at a critical time in the game and we couldn't have been more excited.

Justin Kloos

On adjustments after the first period

Just to try and keep it a little bit simpler. They came out hard. You have to give them credit, they were flying. They were taking advantage of our mistakes. Our turnovers were pushing hard right back in our face. We definitely got outplayed in the first. Fortunate to only be down two, luckily we have a really good goalie. We took it within ourselves to keep it simple and get pucks to the net.

On the faceoff leading to De Leo's goal

It's a go-to for most teams. You want that inside winger, if you lose it, to forecheck and have a guy on their on-hand roll over the top. When you're taking draws you never can put it on the tape. You're just trying to get it back for your team to have the puck. Fortunately it went right to his tape and he whipped it in. It was a good shot by him.

On his rebound goal

I was so fortunate. I fanned it a little bit as it was a bouncing puck. Definitely excited to get a bounce. Throughout the season, you get a lot of ones you wish you had back, but I was fortunate to get a bounce on that one.

Chris Mueller

On his goal

Great job by [De Leo] to get in on the half wall and get it down to me. We knew a little play could have worked and I saw [Pietila] open in the middle for a bumper play, and I think he kicked it to me. It was a good job by him to get a piece of it and the goalie was planning a shot on him, and I just threw it in the empty net. It starts with [De Leo] getting on the puck, calming it down, and getting it to me low. And it's a good job by [Pietila] to be in the middle, and that's what we need our bumper to be.

On the power play

Special teams always play a huge role in the game. I thought our power play struggled a little bit in the first half of the game, but we just stuck with it. Good job by Sam [Carrick] to get the first one, and our unit to get the second one. Power play wins you hockey games, whether it gets you a goal or creates momentum, as does the PK, so we have to keep looking for ways to score, looking for ways just to get this team momentum, and keep racking up these wins.

On adjustments after the first period

More urgency. I thought we looked slow, but maybe it was more us being lazy. They're a fast team and it was more like we stood around and watched the play and I thought in the locker room we did a good job of saying we need to be better. We didn't play a great game in San Jose even though we got two points, and that's a lot better hockey team. I thought we came out with a little more urgency, a little more desperation. Every point is huge at this time of the year. We stood around a little too much in the first. Urgency, a little more will to win. Good job by [Stolarz] to keep us in it in the first, and us to rally behind.

On Anthony Stolarz

He's an unbelievable goalie, probably one of the best in the league. That's why he made the All-Star Game and that's why he's scratching the surface of the NHL. He'll get his time if he just keeps giving us chances to win. That's all you can ask for from him and Kevin Boyle, too. They give us a lot of confidence in order to play offensively. With the way Stolarz and Boyle are playing, we could really go on a run and just follow their lead.

Head Coach Kevin Dineen

On adjustments after the first period

I think the first period was a good example why we're not in a playoff spot. We didn't manage the puck well, we felt like we got outworked and we looked slow. I can find a lot of ugly things to say about our team, but when you have good leadership like we do, you don't have to say much. I think they fessed up that things didn't go well. They came out in the second and third a lot more solid, not just on the scoreboard, but on the tone of the play as well. It was a good rebound by the guys to recognize we weren't doing what we needed to do and go out and do that.

On veteran leadership

That's just it, you can use a lot of different examples. Sometimes not the quantity of ice but sometimes it's the quality of the ice. [De Leo] and [Kloos] really stepped up and made a difference out there. [Kloos] has played center, he's played wing, he's been all over and he goes out there and he wins a big faceoff to get us started in the right direction. A very solid effort by those two.

On the power play

It's one of those analytic things, you can always paint different pictures. If you look at our last six games, our power play has been very good. If you looked at our last game, we were pretty rotten. It was good to see them rebound like they did tonight.

On Anthony Stolarz

He got a lot of work tonight. That continues to be an area we are trying to address. Good for him to make a statement that he's ready whenever he's needed. He's playing extremely solid hockey for us right now.

On improvements before Sunday's game

We have to get off to a better start. That's an area that we continue to harp on, that has to be a key for us. Get off to a good start and play a 60-minute game.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 8, 2020


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