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AHL San Diego Gulls

Teddy Bear Toss Gone Lone Highlight in Tough Loss

December 19, 2021 - American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release


The Gulls fell 4-1 to the San Jose Barracuda tonight at Pechanga Arena San Diego.

Benoit-Olivier Groulx scored his first goal of the season on the power play at 17:47 of the second period to begin the San Diego Gulls teddy bear toss. Vinni Lettieri and Danny O'Regan earned assists on the play.

Olle Eriksson Ek stopped 28-31 shots in the setback.

The San Diego Gulls continue their club record seven-game homestand Wednesday, Dec. 22 against the Stockton Heat at Pechanga Arena San Diego (7 p.m.).

POSTGAME QUOTES

San Diego Gulls

Buddy Robinson

On the loss:

It was tough. You know, you're in the game for the whole game, you're controlling it for most of it, you get that lead and you've just gotta find a way to hang onto it. They're a skilled team, they play an up and down game and we can't get sucked into that. We've got to play our game you know, when we get that lead and it's hard to get points in this league. So, especially when you're playing division rivals very other night, you've got to make sure you hang onto those leads, but we're going to work on it. We're going to get better, we're going to comeback and get a couple points back on Wednesday.

On what the team needs to do to get their offense moving:

Just stick with it. You said it, you know, we're breaking sticks, we're hitting posts, but it means the chances are there, right? So, we're creating good offense, it's just about getting through and we've proved it before we can put up a lot of goals. We've got the skill to do that. We've just got to stick to our game plan, maybe simplify it a little bit. Take some more shots, get more pucks to the net and eventually we'll break through and I think we're going to get a good game here soon.

On being part of a Teddy Bear Toss:

Absolutely. You know, we have great fans. They're always out here supporting us. There was a lot of bears out there tonight, our arms got a little tired from pushing them around so we appreciate all the support and we just hope they keep coming back and we're going to turn the ship around. It's going to be a fun, long season for us.

On what lessons a young team can learn from tonight:

It's just about the hanging onto these leads, you know? Like early in the season, you're learning, you're feeling things out, you're getting chemistry and now, getting into the middle of it, it's hard to win games this time of the year. You're playing every night almost- these Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays- there's a lot less goals to go around. So, when you get a lead late in the game, you need to make sure you hang onto it and it just comes down to practice. You do everything in practice, you prepare for situations and you just buckle down and make the play at the right time.

Head Coach Joel Bouchard

On what he liked about the team's performance tonight:

Well, we took charge more. The first two games, I think the first two games left a little bit of mark on the confidence side. Obviously, we got banged up a lot, like I said last night. Today was better. Didn't really love the third period on some breakdowns and didn't love that we had an opportunity to score a goal and we didn't. It is what it is. Guys have good intention, we're learning. We're twenty-some games into the season. It's going to be a tough journey, guys. We have a lot of young guys and lot of guys that are learning how to play together so I'm not happy about the week at all. I thought we took a lot of strides in the last month or six weeks, but this week was definitely not the week we wanted. Some of the guys realized what the American League is all about.

On what Groulx's goal will do for his game moving forward:

We've got work to do with Bo (Groulx) in a way that he hasn't played much this year, so it was good for him to score, but obviously, there's stuff we've got to work with him. He's a guy that doesn't have much experience. Had a great camp, obviously, in Anaheim. Now, he hasn't played in a little while so three games like that for him- it's a lot. He did push the pace today; he did work hard and we'll keep working with him.

On Olle Eriksson Ek's game:

Our goalies have been solid. The other goalie was solid too. I think we missed a lot of opportunities early in the game to take a lead and not look back. You go in the third period and with a one goal lead, then a floater gets through and then all of sudden, you're not exactly where you'd like to be in the game with a couple of breakdowns and mistakes. It is what it is right now. I'm going to stick with the boys, we're going to keep teaching them and showing them and let's see how we do.

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