The San Diego Gulls will try to break a three-game losing streak at 1 p.m. Sunday on the road against the Henderson Silver Knights.
The Gulls (2-3-0) couldn’t right the ship Friday, losing 5-2 against the Pacific Division-leading Abbotsford Canucks (5-1-1).
“You know, it’s disappointing. We’re in a mode of adversity and we’ll learn and we’ll grow,” head coach Matt McIlvane said.
It won’t get easier against the Silver Knights (5-2-0), who trail the Canucks for the division lead.
Abbotsford got on the board first with a power-play goal from Christian Wolanin, his first of the season. The ice was tilted towards the Canucks out of the gate, as they registered seven shots and held San Diego to just one for 10 minutes.
The Gulls broke out of their first-period slump with a game-tying goal from Glenn Gawdin, his second of the year. Nick Wolff tallied an assist, his first point as a Gull.
Pavol Regenda scored his team-leading fifth goal of the campaign to put San Diego on top with three minutes left to play in the first.
“We need to start winning games,” Regenda said. “That’s more important than goals. I’m happy to just help the team, but wins are more important.”
Abbotsford scored yet again on the power play to open the second, with Cole McWard leveling things up at two.
The third started in a similar fashion, as Arshdeep Bains put the Canucks on top with a tip-in goal. Quinn Schmiemann hopped out of the penalty box and netted another Abbotsford goal a few minutes later to stretch the lead to two.
An empty net goal sealed San Diego’s fate in the waning seconds.
Meanwhile, the Anaheim Ducks recalled defenseman Robert Hagg from the Gulls, the NHL club’s American Hockey League affiliate.
Hagg, 28, has played 338 career NHL games with Detroit, Florida, Buffalo and Philadelphia. Signed to a one-year contract July 4, Hagg recorded one assist and had a team-leading +4 rating in three AHL games with San Diego in the early going this season.