Gulls edge IceHogs, 3-2

ROCKFORD, Ill. – Brandon Montour scored two goals, including the overtime winner to give the San Diego Gulls (16-12-2-1, 35 pts.) a 3-2 victory over the Rockford IceHogs (12-19-3-3; 30 pts.) at BMO Harris Bank Center on Friday night.

Montour (2-0=2) scored the game-winning goal 40 seconds into overtime and Kevin Roy tallied two assists (0-2=2) as the Gulls won their third consecutive game and earned their fifth win in the last six games (5-1-0). San Diego also earned standings points in seven of the past eight games (5-1-1-1) and improved to 11-0-1 when leading after two periods this season, including a 42-0-1 mark dating back to last season.

Rookie goaltender Kevin Boyle stopped 32-of-34 shots to earn the win and improve to 5-1-1 in his last seven games with a 2.13 goals-against average (GAA) and .923 save percentage (SV%). In 10 appearances this season, Boyle has earned a 5-3-2-0 record with a 2.38 GAA and 9.18 SV%.

The Gulls controlled the play early as multiple lines generated chances for the visitors but that momentum came to a halt when the Gulls received a bench-minor for too-many men on the ice. Rockford cashed in only 41 seconds into the man advantage as Kyle Baun knocked in the rebound of Ville Pokka’s slap shot past Boyle to give the IceHogs a 1-0 advantage.

The home club earned another power play late in the frame when Brian Cooper’s clearing bid went over the class for a delay of game penalty. San Diego almost tied the game on Nick Sorensen’s shorthanded bid but Rockford goaltender Mac Carruth made a great glove save to keep Rockford’s lead intact after 20 minutes of play.

At 7:19 of the second period, Montour’s slap shot off a feed from Greger Hanson beat Carruth to tie the game at one apiece. Montour is on a career-high four-game goal streak and matched a season-high with points in four consecutive games (4-4=).

Nick Sorensen gave the Gulls the lead a little over three minutes later when he corralled a rebound of Jaycob Megna’s drive and slid the puck past Carruth. Megna’s has assists in three consecutive games (0-3=3) and now has 2-7=9 points in his last 10 games.

San Diego started the third period on its heels as Rockford pushed for the equalizer, and the home team took advantage as Luke Johnson tied the game at 7:36 of the final frame when a deflected shot caught Boyle out of position and Johnson’s shot found an empty net.

The IceHogs nearly took the lead a few moments later, but Boyle robbed Johnson in the crease and then Spencer Abbott with a double-pad stack stop to keep the game knotted 2-2.

Neither club could find the game-winning goal in regulation which extended the contest to a five-minute, 3-on-3 overtime session.

Jake Dowell looked to have won the game for Rockford only seconds into the extra session, but Tyler Motte was ruled to have made contact with Boyle and referee Jarrod Ragusin waived off the goal.

On the next shift, Montour took a feed from Roy and beat Carruth with a wrist shot from between the circles to give the Gulls their third consecutive win on the road

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