Mike Sgarbossa scored one minute, 27 seconds into overtime to give the San Diego Gulls a 3-2 victory over the Charlotte Checkers Friday night in Charlotte, NC.
The Checkers retied the score on Brendan Woods’ power-play goal with 1:20 left in regulation before a crowd at Bojangles’ Coliseum announced at 6,529.
Rookie right wing Bryan Moore tipped Shea Theodore’s high slot wrist shot past Charlotte goaltender Daniel Altshuller at 15:35 of the second period to give the Gulls a 2-1 lead.
Moore is the first person from Charlotte to sign a professional hockey contract.
Gulls defenseman Brandon Montour opened the scoring 19:09 into the first period with his seventh goal of the season.
The Checkers, the Carolina Hurricanes’ American Hockey League affiliate, tied the score at 9:58 of the second period on Brody Sutter’s seventh goal of the season.
Sutter is a son of former NHL player and coach Duane Sutter and a nephew of Los Angeles Kings coach Daryl Sutter and four other former NHL players.
Goaltender Matt Hackett made 26 saves in his first victory since Jan. 22 as the Gulls improved to 22-19-1-1. Altshuller made 21 saves as Charlotte’s winless streak was extended to eight games (0-6-2).
The Gulls, the Anaheim Ducks’ AHL affiliate, were scoreless in three power-play opportunities and have failed to score on 18 consecutive power-play opportunities. Charlotte (25-18-3-2) was one for three on the power play.
The Gulls are 17-0-0-1 when scoring first, 18-0-0 when leading at the end of the second period and 13-1-1-1 in one-goal games.
Overtime in the AHL is played with three skaters on each team, two fewer than normal.
The two teams will play again Saturday night in Charlotte. The Gulls will next play at Valley View Casino Center Wednesday night against the Texas Stars, the Dallas Stars AHL affiliate.
— City News Service
