The San Diego Gulls suffered their second loss to the Stockton Heat in two nights, despite two first-period goals by Spencer Abbott in a 6-3 loss at Stockton Saturday evening.
Abbott, who did not play in the Gulls past two games, scored his first goal of the season on a breakaway 13 minutes, four seconds into the first period, tying the score, 1-1, before a crowd announced at 2,578 at Stockton Arena.
After Stockton regained the lead 10 seconds later when Garnet Hathaway scored on a breakaway, Abbott re-tied the score when he took a pass from Kalle Kossila and put a shot past Jon Gillies for a power-play goal at 15:11.
Gillies limited the Gulls (2-3-0-0) to defenseman Jacob Larsson’s first professional goal at 9:22 of the second period for the rest of the game. Gillies stopped 26 of 29 shots, improving to 3-1-0-0, including Friday’s 4-2 victory.
The Heat took the lead for good on Cody Goloubef’s first goal of the season at 6:09 of the second period. They increased their lead to 4-2 on Tyler Wotherspoon’s first goal of the season, off assists by former Gull Joseph Cramarossa and Emile Poirier.
Stockton (4-2-0-0) regained a two-goal lead on Marek Hrivik’s first goal of the season at 5:06 of the third period. Gulls coach Dallas Eakins pulled goalie Leland Irving for a sixth attacker with 2:35 to play. Hathaway sealed the victory with an empty-net goal with 1:59 left.
Morgan Klimchuk opened the scoring 7:37 into the game with his second goal of the season, both in the past two games, for the Heat, the Calgary Flames American Hockey League affiliate.
Irving stopped 34 of 39 shots in his first start. He entered Friday’s game at the start of the third period and stopped all 14 shots he faced in his debut with the Gulls. Irving was acquired Oct. 9 from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Philadelphia Flyers AHL affiliate, in exchange for future considerations.
Stockton led 40-29 in shots, including a 22-6 advantage in the second period.
The Gulls, the Anaheim Ducks, AHL affiliate, scored on one of seven power plays and killed all of the Heat’s six power-play opportunities, including a four-minute disadvantage midway through the third period when defenseman Andy Welinski received tripping and holding penalties.
Welinski was scoreless after having a point in each of the Gulls first four games.
The Gulls and Stockton will meet again Wednesday at Valley View Casino Center.
— City News Service
