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AHL San Diego Gulls

POSTGAME NOTES & QUOTES: December 16, 2017, San Diego 4 vs. Stockton 1

December 18, 2017 - American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


Valley View Casino Center

12-11-1-0, 25 points

San Diego won for the third consecutive game with a 4-1 victory over the Stockton Heat at Valley View Casino Center. Mitch Hults scored 13:59 into the game for the Teddy Bear Toss goal that triggered fans to throw teddy bears and stuffed animals onto the ice. The Gulls have now won five of their last six contests (5-1-0-0). San Diego erased a 1-0 first period deficit to mark the third consecutive comeback win and sixth overall this season. For the second straight game the Gulls scored three power play goals, improving their league-leading power play to 26.1 percent (31-of-119).

Hults' goal marked his sixth tally of the season to extend his point streak to a career-high four games (2-24).

Kevin Boyle stopped 28-of-29 shots in his seventh victory of the season. In his last four home starts, Boyle is 4-0-0 with a 1.87 goals-against average and .941 save percentage.

Eric Fehr scored the game-winning goal at 2:51 of the third period, his first of the season. Fehr added an assist for his fourth multi-point effort in 11 games with San Diego, and he now has three goals his last three games (3-14).

Center Kalle Kossila scored his sixth goal of the season and now has points in his last three games (2-13) in addition to 13 points (6-713) his last 13 contests.

Nic Kerdiles earned his second multi-point game of the season with two assists (0-22) and now has three assists his past two games.

Tonight's attendance was 8,863.

POSTGAME QUOTES

San Diego Gulls

Mitch Hults

On scoring the goal to begin the Teddy Bear Toss

It's awesome. When you are playing you don't even think about it. When it went in the net I just saw the teddy bears going and all you are thinking about is all those bears going to a good cause. So it always feels good. You skate back to the bench and all the kids get these teddy bears so it's awesome.

On helping give back to the community

We come and play the game every day. To be able to come in and do some things for certain games and give back a little bit, it's awesome. Especially in this community. We have had good fans ever since I have been here. To have them bring these teddy bears too and give back to the community just like we do. As a whole, the San Diego community is awesome.

Eric Fehr

On his game-winning goal

That was a really weird bounce. I think it hit the Zamboni gate. I was just going behind to play the rim. Luckily I was able to get my stick on it.

On the power play success

Just a little bit of puck luck. I don't think we have changed a whole bunch. We have had some pretty good entries. When you get in the zone easily and create some chaos it gives us a lot of opportunities to create some different plays. I think our entries were pretty key tonight.

On the recent success

I think we are just playing a little more desperate. We are being harder on pucks. We are playing more as a team, playing the 200-foot game instead of the individual game. I think that's made a big difference for us.

On the Teddy Bear Toss

I'm happy we got a goal in the first period so my daughter can throw something on the ice before she went home. We don't play for a week so it's always nice to have that win and settle in and have that one for the whole week to celebrate.

On his personal success

Just trying to control the puck a little more and make simple plays. None of the goals have been fancy. I have just been going to the net and keeping my stick on the ice and good things have happened so far.

Kalle Kossila

On the win

It's just a good team effort. I don't think we were at our best in the first 10 minutes. After that we got a goal and started rolling and that was our game.

On the Teddy Bear Toss

It's something fans look forward to, to get the first goal and then the crowd gets pumping. It was good times.

On the recent success

I think it's everybody. We are just doing the little things right. We are coming back to the puck, our power play is working and the PK is killing it right now. I think it's everything.

On Eric Fehr

He is a veteran guy. He brings a lot of leadership for sure. Guys follow him. He doesn't talk too much but whatever he says, everybody listens to him. He just does all the little things right and plays the game the right way.

Head Coach Dallas Eakins

On the win and Teddy Bear Toss

You certainly want to get it out of the way. It's one of those things. I know that when we have gone into buildings and they are having their Teddy Bear Toss we talk about trying to embarrass the other team, shut it right down and I'm sure that was Stockton's goal. So getting that goal early surely takes a little bit of pressure off. After that goal and after those bears got on the ice I thought we really settled into the game.

On the power play

Well they are good. We got a contribution from both units tonight. Both are equally dangerous. It has been the one thing that has been constant with our team this year. Our power play has been very good. We want to sustain that as long as we can.

On maintaining momentum

We have got to get some rest first. These were two really highly-energized and physical games. We will start there and then we will just go back to our work ethic in practice. This group works extremely hard, they really get after it. We want to keep that up. We want to go into this break on a winning note.

On Kalle Kossila

He was incredible. We dressed a forward short tonight and went with seven defenseman. I ran him extremely hard. His numbers will be up just under 30 minutes, probably 26 minutes, somewhere in there. He was able to handle the minutes and he was key on our power play, a key penalty killer. He just did an incredible job.

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