Sam Carrick scored his first career hat trick, a natural hat trick, and factored in five of San Diego’s six goals to help the Gulls to a 6-3 win over the Stockton Heat at Stockton Arena. The Gulls scored three first-period goals for the fourth time this season, and San Diego scored three-or-more goals for the seventh straight game. The Gulls have scored 57 goals through the team’s first 15 games of the season (excluding shootout goals), five more than the 52 goals scored through 15 games in 2016-17.
San Diego has also scored a power-play goal tonight to mark the 13 of 15 game the Gulls have scored a goal on the man advantage (17-for-67, 25.4 percent). The Gulls lead the AHL with a road power play of 31.6 percent and have scored a goal in each of the five road contests (6-for-19).
Carrick netted the fourth hat trick and third natural hat trick in Gulls history, with his three consecutive goals by spanning 18:05 across the first and second periods (11:09 and 13:29 of the first period, and 8:14 of the second period). The hat trick set a new career high in goals for Carrick, surpassing the eight previous two-goal games (last: Oct. 6 at Tucson).
Carrick also earned two assists, setting a new single-game career high in points (3-2=5) and a Gulls single-game record for points in a game, surpassing the previous club record of four set on five prior occasions (last: Kalle Kossila, 0-4=4 on Jan. 3, 2018 at Texas). He also recorded a career high +4 rating. Carrick now leads San Diego in goals (9) and ranks tied for second on the Gulls in scoring (9-7=16).
Simon Benoit scored his first career goal 1:35 into the contest, his sixth point of the season (1-5=6). Carrick earned the primary assist and Giovanni Fiore tallied his ninth point with the secondary assist. Fiore has scored 2-3=5 points his last five games.
Sam Steel scored an empty-net goal with 39 seconds left in regulation to seal the win and extend his point streak to five games (4-3=7). Steel has tallied eight points in eight games this season (4-4=8). Carrick earned the lone assist, his fifth point of the game.
Joseph Blandisi also scored an empty-net goal at 19:58 of the third period, his first goal of the season to push his scoring streak to five games (1-4=5). Luke Schenn earned the lone assist, his second in as many games.
Isac Lundestrom tallied his fourth assist in as many games on the first Carrick goal (0-4=4) and Josh Mahura earned the secondary assist on the goal. Mahura leads San Diego defensemen in scoring (1-8=9) and assists.
Chase De Leo collected the primary assist on the second Carrick goal, his second helper in as many games. Steve Oleksy also recorded an assist on the goal, his second of the season.
Kevin Boyle earned his fifth win of the season after stopping 41-of-44 shots, marking the third time this season Boyle has made 40-or-more saves.
Troy Terry was held scoreless for the first game of his AHL career. Terry set a club record 11-game point streak from Oct. 19-Nov. 23 (7-9=16), the longest point streak in the AHL this season.
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