The San Diego Gulls’ winless streak was extended to five games Saturday as Brendan Ranford had a hat trick, including the game- winning goal, in the Texas Stars 5-3 victory at the Valley View Casino Center.
Ranford completed the hat trick with the game-winner with two minutes, 42 seconds to play. Radek Faksa added an empty net goal with 1:24 left as Texas won its fourth consecutive game.
The Gulls (17-16-1-1) tied the score three times, but never led before a crowd announced at 10,491.
Nick Ritchie had a hand in all three Gulls goals. The team’s youngest player assisted on Chris Mueller’s goal with 6:10 remaining that tied the score 3-3 and on Kenny Ryan’s first-period short-handed goal.
Ritchie scored his team-leading 15th goal at 10:04 of the second period.
Ranford scored on a breakaway at 8:40 of the third period to give the Stars, the Dallas Stars’ American Hockey League affiliate, a 3-2 lead.
Ranford opened the scoring 5:27 into the first period when he put a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle into the net for his 11th goal of the season.
Ranford assisted on Jason Dickinson’s power-play goal at 3:41 of the second period that gave Texas a 2-1 lead.
Ranford is a nephew of Bill Ranford, a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Edmonton Oilers and now the Los Angeles Kings goaltending coach.
Goaltender Dustin Tokarski made 14 saves in his debut with the Gulls. He was obtained by the Anaheim Ducks, the Gulls NHL parent team, in a Jan. 7 trade with the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for left wing Max Friberg, who had 17 points in 25 games for the Gulls.
Maxime Lagace made 17 saves for the Stars (21-14-3-3), which won for the third time in its three games against the Gulls.
The Gulls scored on one of their four power-play opportunities on Ritchie’s second-period goal. Texas scored on one of its six power-play opportunities.
The Gulls’ five-game winless streak is one short of their season high.
Defenseman Simon Despres made his debut with the Gulls, going scoreless on three shots and drawing a high-sticking penalty. He was assigned to the Gulls by the Ducks on a long-term conditioning loan.
The Gulls will next play Tuesday at San Antonio, the Colorado Avalanche’s AHL affiliate. Their next game at the Valley View Casino Center will be on Jan. 29 against the Ontario Reign, the Kings AHL affiliate.
— City News Service
