The San Diego Gulls allowed the final three goals in a 7-3 loss to the Stockton Heat Saturday at Stockton to complete a four-game road trip winless.
The Gulls cut the Heat’s lead to 4-3 when Zac Larraza scored two minutes four seconds into the third period, only to allow goals by Morgan Klimchuk at 5:35, Mike Angelidis at 10:02 and Oliver Kylington at 15:05. Klimchuk’s goal was Stockton’s fourth on the power play.
The Gulls (2-5-1-0) tied the score 2-2 on Kevin Roy’s back-to-back goals 4:15 apart in the first period before a crowd at Stockton Arena announced at 5,052.
Power-play goals by Matt Frattin and Andrew Mangiapane in the second period gave the Heat (5-2-1-0) a 4-2 lead.
Stockton took a 2-0 lead for the second consecutive night. Frattin scored on the power play 2:25 into the game. Mangiapane scored 2:35 later.
The Gulls were scoreless in four power-play chances, one night after going one-for-nine on the power-play in a 6-1 loss to the Heat, the Calgary Flames American Hockey League affiliate. Stockton scored on four of its eight power-play opportunities.
The Gulls were outshot 30-28. Gulls goaltender Matt Hackett made 23 saves as he fell to 0-3-0-0. The seven goals he allowed were the most since March 16, 2014, when he also allowed seven, while playing for the Rochester Americans, the Buffalo Sabres AHL affiliate, in a 7-3 loss to the Binghamton Senators, the Ottawa Senators AHL affiliate.
Stockton goaltender Tom McCollum stopped 19 of the 20 shots he faced over the final two periods. Jon Gillies stopped six of eight shots in the first period for the Heat.
Gulls left wing Nick Tarnasky and Heat left wing Jamie Devane both drew five-minute major penalties for their first-period fight.
Larraza’s goal was his first in his four games with the Gulls since being recalled Oct. 27 from the Utah Grizzlies, the Anaheim Ducks ECHL affiliate.
The Gulls, the Anaheim Ducks AHL affiliate, began the road trip with a 3- 2 overtime loss to the Manitoba Moose Oct. 28, and a 5-4 regulation loss to Manitoba the following night.
The Gulls will next play Friday at Valley View Casino Center against the Moose.
— City News Service
