SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Gulls (11-6-1-0; 23 pts.) extended their home winning streak to six games in a row with a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory over the Bakersfield Condors (8-8-2-0; 18 pts.) in front of 5,556 fans at Valley View Casino Center.
Stefan Noesen tied the game with 9.3 seconds left in regulation and Chris Wagner scored the game-winner in overtime as San Diego earned its ninth win in the last 10 games.
“It’s always fun to come back like that. We didn’t play our best game, but we found a way to win,” said Wagner. “That’s what good teams do.”
After Head Coach Dallas Eakins called a timeout with under 15 second remaining in the game, Wagner won a key offensive-zone faceoff that led to Noesen deflecting a Kevin Roy point shot up and over Condors netminder Lauren Brossoit to knot the game 3-3.
In overtime, Andy Welinski’s slap shot from the point was deflected by Wagner past Brossoit for the game-winner. Wagner was reassigned to San Diego earlier in the day and has now earned three points (2-1=3) in his two games with the Gulls this season.
Early in the third period, Josh Currie gave Bakersfield a 3-2 lead after he stole the puck from San Diego goaltender Dustin Tokarski behind the Gulls net and tucked home his fourth goal of the season.
“As always our guys refused to roll over,” said head coach Dallas Eakins. “We challenged them tonight between the second and third periods and they responded. Our ability to stay with it tonight was impressive.”
The Gulls took an early lead in the game when Kalle Kossila (1-1=2) one-timed a feed from Jordan Samuels-Thomas off the rush that beat Brossoit just 1:28 into the game. Kossila has posted 2-2=4 points in the two meetings with Bakersfield this season.
With Corey Tropp in the box for hooking, Bakersfield would respond as Greg Chase deked his way into the Gulls zone and beat Tokarski blocker side to tie the game at one midway through the first period.
Less than 15 seconds later, the Gulls earned a power play of their own and Brandon Montour (1-1=2) made it count, potting his fifth goal of the season on a point shot that slipped by the screened Brossoit. Montour’s 5-10=16 points rank tied for third among all AHL defenseman.
Despite trailing 2-1 entering the middle frame, the second period belonged to the Condors as they outshot San Diego 12-6 and generated multiple grade-A chances. Bakersfield finally broke through at 17:12 when Ben Betker tallied his first career AHL goal after his wrist shot deflected off a Gulls defenseman and into the net. For the third straight game the Gulls entered the final frame deadlocked.
“We’re a very resilient group, we like to face adversity, said Noesen. “Nobody was panicked on the bench at that point. The play we drew up worked and we were fortunate enough to execute it and take the game to overtime.”
Dustin Tokarski (9-3-0-0) made 28 saves and picked up his seventh win in his last eight starts, posting a .917 save percentage (SV%) and 2.43 goals-against average (GAA). Tokarski has won all six of his home starts this season and has stopped 164-of-179 shots faced at Valley View Casino Center (.916 SV%). Bakersfield goaltender Laurent Brossoit (5-6-1) made 20 saves in the overtime loss.
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