The San Diego Gulls missed a chance to assure themselves of a berth in the American Hockey League‘s Calder Cup playoffs with a 5-1 loss to the Bakersfield Condors Friday evening in Bakersfield.
The Gulls trailed 2-1 midway through the third period when left wing Braden Christoffer scored twice two minutes, 36 seconds apart, giving Bakersfield 4-1 lead with 6:40 left.
The goals were Christoffer’s third and fourth in his 41 games this season with the Condors and second in three games.
Gulls coach Dallas Eakins pulled goaltender Dustin Tokarski for an extra attacker after Bakersfield defenseman Mark Fraser’s cross-checking penalty with 4:40 remaining gave the Gulls a two-man advantage.
A pass by Gulls left wing Kalle Kossila skipped over defenseman Shea Theodore’s stick and slid all the way into the unguarded Gulls goal with 3:04 to play. Goaltender Jonas Gustavsson was the last Condor player to touch the puck and was credited with the goal.
Gustavsson was the 12th goaltender in the AHL’s 81-year-history to be credited with a goal and the fifth to do so without shooting the puck into the opposition net.
The goal was the first by an AHL goaltender since Jan. 16, 2015 when Reto Berra scored for the Lake Erie Monsters.
Jesse Puljujarvi opened the scoring 8:41 into the first period on Bakersfield’s first shot of the game.
The Gulls allowed just one more shot in the period, tying their lowest amount in the first period this season. They also allowed two shots in the first period of a 4-2 victory at Bakersfield Feb. 7.
In his first game with the Gulls since Nov. 18, Ondrej Kase tied the score 9:32 into the second period.
Kase was reassigned to the Gulls by their NHL parent team, the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. Kase has five goals and nine assists in 51 games with the Gulls this season.
Josh Currie gave Bakersfield (29-23-5-1) the lead for good with 21 seconds left in the second period before a crowd at Rabobank Arena announced at 5,536.
Tokarski made 12 saves on 16 shots in his first loss after winning seven consecutive decisions. Gustavsson stopped 30 of 31 shots.
The Gulls were scoreless in four power-play opportunities and killed both of the Condors power-play opportunities.
The Gulls entered the game 5-0-0-0 this season against Bakersfield, the Edmonton Oilers AHL affiliate.
Defenseman Clayton Stoner drew a five-minute major penalty for his fight with Fraser 4:03 into the third period in his first game with the Gulls.
The Ducks announced earlier Friday they sent the 32-year-old Stoner to the Gulls on a long-term injury conditioning loan. Stoner last played with the Ducks on Nov. 15.
The game was Stoner’s first in the AHL since Dec. 15, 2009 when he had two assists and a five-minute major penalty for fighting for the Houston Aeros in a 5-2 victory over the Texas Stars.
Center Mitch Hults made his professional debut, four days after signing an amateur tryout agreement with the Gulls. He was scoreless without a shot and was on the ice when Christoffer scored his first goal.
The Gulls played without defenseman Stu Bickel who received a one-game suspension from the league for continuing an altercation during Wednesday’s 5-1 victory over the San Jose Barracuda.
The Gulls (38-16-3-2) will have another opportunity to assure themselves of a playoff berth Saturday when they play host to Bakersfield at Valley View Casino Center.
The Gulls have nine games remaining in the regular season.
— City News Service
