The Gulls ended last season on a win.
Three-hundred and thirty-one days later, the team picked up right where it left off.
Chase De Leo recorded three points (2g/1a) and Kodie Curran scored his first career American Hockey League goal to help the San Diego Gulls defeat the Bakersfield Condors, 4-1, in the team’s season opener at FivePoint Arena.
Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots in his professional debut, joining Kevin Boyle as the second netminder in team history to win his first AHL game in a Gulls sweater.
Trevor Zegras (2a) added a multi-point effort in his professional debut.
De Leo sparked the Gulls offense, picking up three points in the middle frame to turn a one-goal deficit into a two-goal lead.
The La Mirada, CA. native tied the score at one, recording his first goal of the season just past the five-minute mark of the middle frame.
De Leo took advantage of a Bakersfield turnover in the near circle, spinning and firing a quick wrist shot on Condors netminder Olivier Rodrigue. The puck squeaked through, stopping just short of the goal line. De Leo alertly crashed the crease to poke home the rebound.
He followed with his second goal of the middle frame with 8:45 left to go in the period. Trevor Zegras snuck his shot through Rodrigue, but the puck hit off the post. De Leo found himself in the perfect spot, kicking the rebound from his skate to his stick before finding the back of the net.
Kodie Curran extended the Gulls lead in the period, scoring his first of the season with just under five minutes left to push the team’s advantage to 3-1.
Zegras held the puck behind the net, quickly attempting to try a lacrosse-style goal before settling the puck behind the goal line. He quickly fired a pass to Curran, who snapped a shot past Rodrigue for his first career AHL goal.
Matt Lorito would cap the scoring, grabbing his first goal of the season at 6:44 of the third period.
Lorito broke into the Bakersfield zone on a 2-on-1 rush with Jacob Perreault. He fed the rookie winger, who patiently waited for the defenseman to commit before sending the puck back to Lorito. The veteran didn’t miss, firing the puck into the open net.
Devin Brosseau opened the scoring, deflecting a point shot past Dostal at 4:56 of the first period.
San Diego and Bakersfield will conclude their two-game series tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. PT.
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