The San Diego Gulls were shut out for the fifth time this season and third by San Jose Barracuda goaltender Troy Grosenick in a 3-0 loss to the Pacific Division leaders Sunday in San Jose.
Grosenick made 10 of his 25 saves in the first period as he recorded his league-leading ninth shutout before a crowd at SAP Center at San Jose announced at 4,394.
The Gulls (34-15-3-2) were held scoreless on their five power-play opportunities in just the third game in their last 26 where they failed to earn a standings point. The Gulls are 21-3-1-1 during that span.
San Jose (36-12-2-4) got the only goal it would prove to need 13 minutes, 31 seconds into the second period when Daniel O’Regan put a wrist shot from a tight angle over the shoulder of Gulls rookie goaltender Kevin Boyle for a power-play goal.
The goal was the Barracuda’s lone power-play goal in three opportunities.
O’Regan leads American Hockey League rookies with 50 points on 19 goals and 31 assists. He has three goals and six assists in nine games against the Gulls, including the tying and winning goals in a 4-3 overtime victory last Sunday.
San Jose increased its lead to 2-0 1:05 later when Buddy Robinson put a backhanded shot past Boyle on a breakaway for a short-handed goal.
Barclay Goodrow scored an empty-net goal with 1:31 left for the Barracuda, the San Jose Sharks American Hockey League affiliate.
Boyle made 11 of his 23 saves in the second period as his streak of nine consecutive games with a standings point ended.
The Gulls are 0-4-1-0 at San Jose this season. The home team has won all nine games in the series this season.
The Gulls will next play Wednesday at Valley View Casino Center against the Stockton Heat, the Calgary Flames AHL affiliate.
—City News Service
