SF Bulls Open Regular Season

DALY CITY, Calif. –   The SF Bulls opened their regular season at home Friday night taking on the Bakersfield Condors at the Cow Palace before a sell out crowd of 8,277 fans.   As if following the same script from the season’s two pre-season games, the Bulls started and finished strong, but again came up just short of a win.   Things were a little different this time around however; the game counted in the ECHL Western Conference standings. 
The Condors opened the scoring in the first on a shot from Levi Nelson at 10:44.   An assist was also credited to Zach Cohen on the goal.   The Bulls continued their strong opening period of play and eventually tied the game at the 16:01 mark when Dean Ouellet scored the first ever goal in SF Bulls franchise history.   Jordan Clendenning was credited with an assist on the historic goal.   The Condors pushed back and re-established a one goal advantage with just over a minute to play on a score from Zach Cohen.   Levi Nelson and Brett Perlini picked up assists.
  The second was not kind to the Bulls as Bakersfield turned it on by scoring twice in the period.   While shorthanded, Bobby Dee was rewarded a penalty shot at the 4:25 mark on an unfortunate hooking call.   Dee converted on the opportunity to make the score 3 – 1.   Bakersfield scored again as Brett Perlini scored at 17:13 to make it 4 – 1.   Zach Cohen collected an assist and his third point of the night.   The Bulls went off for the second intermission with a considerable deficit to overcome.
 
The third period was an all Bulls affair that nearly saw the home team come all the way back.   Kevin Baker scored a beautiful goal on a hard shot at 11:38 and Sacha Guimond also scored at the 12:44 mark.   Thomas Beauregard and the Captain Justin Bowers collected the helpers on each goal respectively.  
 
The two goals made it 3 – 4 Bakersfield which set up an exciting finish, but the Bulls just could not find the twine a third time before time ran out.   Credit Condors goaltender Brian Stewart for shutting the door on the Bulls.   The Bulls had chances and outshot the Condors 9-5 in the final period, but Stewart came up big when he needed to and was able to preserve the win for Bakersfield.
 
After the game when asked for his thoughts on the night SF Bulls President, General Manager and Head Coach Pat Curcio said he was happy with the sell out, the atmosphere and the fact that the fans enjoyed themselves.  
 
“We are a new team and we’ve got a lot of young players.   We will not make excuses and we have a lot of work to do on the hockey side.   We will regroup tomorrow.”   Curcio cited the fact that the team has been able to come back from multiple goal deficits in all three games played thus far this season but going forward, “we need to learn to get a lead and keep it by playing a full 60 minutes”.
 
The Bulls will not have to wait long for the opportunity to do just that.   These same two teams face off again Saturday night to finish off this two game opening set.   Puck drops on the Cow Palace action at 7:15 PM.
Contact the writer Randy.Thompson@prohockeynews.com