Ryan White scored 33 seconds into the game and assisted on Giovanni Fiore’s goal 3:11 later as the San Diego Gulls defeated Bakersfield, 4-2 Saturday evening, their second victory over the Condors in two nights in Bakersfield.
Two other Gulls also had two-point games. Nic Kerdiles put in a rebound of a shot by Corey Tropp at 1:29 of the third period and had the lone assist on White’s goal after stealing the puck to start the scoring sequence. Defenseman Steve Oleksy assisted on the goals by Fiore and Kerdiles.
Eric Fehr scored his team-leading 13th goal 13:09 into the first period for the Gulls, who defeated the Condors, 3-2, in a shootout Friday night.
“I think we just didn’t let up throughout the whole game,” Gulls goaltender Kevin Boyle said. “We hunkered down and it’s nice to go into the all-star break with two big points.”
David Gust scored the lone goal in the second period for Bakersfield, which is 0-3-0-1 in its last four games and remains in last in the American Hockey League‘s eight-team Pacific Division. Condors right wing Patrick Russell scored the game’s final goal with 6:54 to play.
“We chased the game and it’s tough to do that,” Bakersfield coach Gerry Fleming said after his team fell to 17-17-7-1. “We came out flat and that’s on us.”
The Gulls were outshot, 36-34, including a 15-10 disadvantage in the third period.
Boyle (11-8-1-0) made 34 saves for his sixth victory in his last eight games. Laurent Brossoit made 30 saves for the Condors, the Edmonton Oilers AHL affiliate.
Tropp’s assist on Kerdiles’ goal was his 89th point for the Gulls in their three seasons in the AHL, tying the team high by Brandon Montour, now a defenseman with the Anaheim Ducks, the Gulls NHL parent team.
The Gulls league-leading power play failed to score on its lone opportunity. They have failed to score on nine consecutive power-play opportunities over four games. The Gulls killed both of the Condors power-play opportunities and have killed six consecutive penalties over three games.
The game was the Gulls last before the AHL All-Star Classic, whose skills competition will be Sunday while a series of games with three skaters a side will be played Monday, both in Utica, New York. Defenseman Andy Welinski is the Gulls lone all-star.
The Gulls next game will be next Saturday at Valley View Casino Center against the Tucson Roadrunners, the Arizona Coyotes AHL affiliate.
— City News Service
